Thompson Fire forces 28,000 to evacuate in California

July 3 (UPI) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Wednesday morning as the Thompson Fire forced another 15,000 residents to evacuate, bringing the total evacuated to 28,000.

“We are using every tool available to fight this fire and will continue to work closely with our local and federal partners to support impacted communities,” Newsom said in a prepared statement Wednesday morning.

The wildfire raging across Northern California has burned 3,002 acres and was 0% contained as of Wednesday morning, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.

“The Butte County Fire Department is at [the] “There has been a vegetation fire outside of Oroville,” Cal Fire said. “Multiple evacuations are underway and increased ground and air resources have been ordered.”

The Butte County Sheriff's Department has issued evacuation orders for parts of the communities of Oroville, Cherokee, Oroville Northeast, Kelly Ridge and Hurleton.

The Hyatt Generating Station, the Oroville Field Office, the Lake Oroville Visitor Center and the Thermalito Pumped Storage Generating Station were all under the evacuation order, and personnel at the Oroville Dam were not in danger, according to the California Department of Water Resources.

Oroville declared a local state of emergency as the fire threatened critical infrastructure, including water supplies.

Newsom announced that the state had secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help extinguish the blaze and provide vital resources, while the California Office of Emergency Services also deployed firefighting and law enforcement resources.

Cal Fire said a total of 1,438 personnel were assigned to the blaze, including 199 fire trucks, 46 bulldozers, 49 tankers and eight helicopters.