Thompson Fire prompts evacuations, Oroville in state of emergency

Oroville declares state of emergency, Thompson Fire prompts evacuations

A vegetation fire in Butte County is at 2,136 acres with no containment. Oroville has declared a state of emergency as mass evacuations are underway. We get a live report from KCRA and updates on the help that is on the way.

OROVILLE, Calif. - Officials in Butte County say as many as 13,000 people are being evacuated from a vegetation fire that scorched about 3,000 acres by Wednesday morning.

The Thompson Fire began just before 11 a.m. on Tuesday near Oroville.

Butte County Sheriff's Office has issued mandatory evacuations and evacuation warnings for areas including Oroville and the Cherokee and Kelly Ridge communities. The city of Oroville has declared a local state of emergency.

Thompson Fire forcing evacuations near Oroville

Officials in Butte County say 13,000 people are being evacuated from a fire that is at 2,136 acres. The Thompson Fire began just before noon on Tuesday near Oroville. The fire is at 0% containment.

Two firefighters suffered heat-related injuries.

Vehicles and as many as four structures have burned, but for the most part, residents appear to have heeded the evacuation warnings.

Cal Fire's Butte Unit has responded to the scene. During daylight, an air attack had been underway for several hours. The extreme heat and wind in the area is not helping conditions any. But by evening the winds began to die down.

Cal Fire's Dan Collins said approximately 400 personnel are committed to the fire with more resources on the way.

Butte County wildfire forces evacuations

Evacuations were ordered in parts of Butte County Tuesday as a vegetation fire erupted. Credit: Kaylin Hitchrick via Storyful.

"Our number one priority right now is evacuations and structure defense," Collins said. "Our eventual goal is to get a perimeter around the whole fire."

Those resources include firefighters from the Bay Area.

San Francisco Fire Department is sending 18 firefighters and four fire engines to Butte County to serve as mutual aid.

San Jose Fire Dept. will send the same amount of resources.

Milpitas Fire will also provide four personnel and one engine to help fight the fire.

And in the North Bay, Santa Rosa Fire Department says they will also send firefighters to Butte County.

Closer to home in the Bay Area, a vegetation fire has prompted evacuation orders northeast of Calistoga.

The Toll Fire in Napa County is at about 40 acres and was 15% contained by Tuesday.

As many as 300 firefighters are battling the blaze.

Cal Fire's Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit said they will have approximately 80 personnel working around the perimeter of the fire overnight.

Fire also erupted near Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield as the Bay Area is enduring a lasting heat wave. Cal Fire units in Solano County are also working this fire, dubbed The Denverton Fire. The fire is 25 acres and 0% contained. This fire broke out Tuesday afternoon at Creed and Denverton roads.

California's heat was expected to spread from north to south over the week, with the worst of it focused on interior areas including the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys and the southern deserts. But warnings extended out to just short of the coast.

San Francisco, famous for its cool summers, was expected to have a high Tuesday in the upper 80s (31 C) downtown but mid-60s (18.3 C) at Ocean Beach, forecasters said.