Chico, CA (July 30, 2024)–On Wednesday, the Park Fire started in Northern California, erupting to more than 383,000 acres in Butte, Plumas, Shasta, and Tehama Counties, making it the fifth largest fire in state history. In response, Senior Climate Campaigner Amy Moas, Ph.D., said: “As we hope the communities who have been evacuated reach safety, we must acknowledge what we’re seeing right now in California isn’t normal. All nine of the state’s largest wildfires on record have happened since 2017. These hotter, faster, and more intense blazes have been fueled by the climate crisis – thanks to greedy companies who insist on burning increasing amounts of fossil fuels, and the politicians who enable them.
“Our planet is facing a future of extreme weather and record breaking fires. Just last week, we had the two hottest days ever recorded on Earth. We must change course and make polluters, not the people – who are losing everything in these disasters – pay. It is time oil and gas companies be held accountable and start paying for the havoc they have brought.”
As of Tuesday afternoon, the blaze has destroyed 165 structures and is currently at 14 percent containment. Updates on fire spread and containment in California can be found on the CalFire website.
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Notes:
A 2023 study in Nature found that climate change makes wildfires in California in particular more explosive and increases extreme daily wildfire growth risk.
Contact: Katie Nelson, Greenpeace USA Senior Communications Specialist, [email protected], +1 (678) 644-1681
Greenpeace USA is part of a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace USA is committed to transforming the country’s unjust social, environmental, and economic systems from the ground up to address the climate crisis, advance racial justice, and build an economy that puts people first. Learn more at www.greenpeace.org/usa.
