Thompson Fire

{{Infobox wildfire

| title = Thompson Fire

|partof = the 2024 California wildfires

| image = The Thompson Fire Lake Oroville.jpg

| caption = The Thompson Fire as seen from Lake Oroville on July 2, 2024.

| date = {{start date|2024|07|02}} – {{end date|2024|07|08}}

| location = Butte County, California, U.S.

| coordinates = {{coord|39.53793|-121.5467|display=inline,title}}

| reference = {{cite web |title=Thompson Fire |url=https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2024/7/2/thompson-fire |publisher=California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection |access-date=July 3, 2024}}

| percent_contained = 100%

| area = {{convert|3789|acres|ha}}

| injuries = 4

| evacuated = 29,000{{cite news |last1=Wolfe |first1=Jonathan |title=Northern California Wildfire Slows, Allowing Some Residents to Return Home |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/04/us/thompson-wildfire-oroville-california.html |url-status=live |access-date=July 4, 2024 |work=The New York Times |date=July 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240704203309/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/04/us/thompson-wildfire-oroville-california.html |archive-date=July 4, 2024}}

| cause = Arson

| pushpin_map = California

| pushpin_map_caption = Location of Thompson Fire in California

|image_map={{maplink|frame=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=250|frame-height=|from=2024 United States wildfires.map|frame-latitude=39.53793|frame-longitude=-121.52|zoom=11|text=Perimeter of the Thompson Fire (map data)}}

|structures=26 (8 damaged)}}

The Thompson Fire was a fast-moving wildfire burning near the community of Oroville in Butte County, California, during the 2024 California wildfire season.{{cite news |last1=Alonso |first1=Melissa |last2=Shackelford |first2=Robert |title=Wildfire prompts evacuation order for thousands in Northern California as 'exceptionally dangerous' heat builds in the West |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/03/us/thompson-fire-california-heat-wave/index.html |access-date=July 3, 2024 |work=CNN |date=July 3, 2024}}

Background

The Thompson Fire sparked amidst a heat wave described as "exceptionally dangerous and lethal" by the National Weather Service.{{cite news |last1=Castañeda |first1=Carlos |title="Exceptionally dangerous" heat wave still in early stages; Bay Area may see record temps |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/heat-wave-hot-weather-bay-area-northern-california-red-flag/ |access-date=July 3, 2024 |work=CBS News |date=July 3, 2024}} The fire was allegedly caused by arson, with a man testing fireworks by throwing one out of the window. An arrest was made on August 22.{{cite news |last1=Ruberg |first1=Sara |title=Man Is Charged With Arson in California Wildfire That Destroyed 13 Homes|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/26/us/california-thompson-fire-arson-arrest.html |access-date=August 27, 2024 |work=The New York Times |date=August 26, 2024}} The heat wave has caused vegetation to dry out, increasing wildfire risk in the area.

The community of Oroville has been affected by several major wildfires, including the Camp Fire in 2018 and the Bear Fire in 2020.{{cite news |last1=Baek |first1=Susan |title=Thompson Fire in Northern California forces evacuations as blaze rages |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/thompson-fire-northern-california-forces-thousands-evacuate-blaze-rage-rcna160161 |access-date=July 4, 2024 |work=NBC News |date=July 3, 2024}}

Fire

The fire sparked at 10:51 a.m. on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, near Cherokee Road and Thompson Flat Cemetery Road.{{cite news |last1=Robinson |first1=Adam |last2=Harting |first2=Ashley |title=Emergency declared as 13K residents evacuated by Thompson Fire in Northern California |url=https://katv.com/news/nation-world/fire-ignites-north-of-oroville-burns-up-to-10-acres |access-date=July 3, 2024 |publisher=KATV |date=July 2, 2024}} Within six hours, the fire grew from {{convert|15|acres|ha}} to over {{convert|2100|acres|ha}}, causing Gavin Newsom, the Governor of California, declared a state of emergency in Butte County.{{cite news |last1=Ahumada |first1=Rosalio |title=Thompson Fire: 13,000 residents under evacuation orders as Northern California blaze grows |url=https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/fires/article289703644.html |access-date=July 3, 2024 |work=The Sacramento Bee |date=July 2, 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Nobert |first1=Matthew |title=Governor's Office declares state of emergency for Thompson Fire |url=https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/governors-office-declares-state-of-emergency-for-thompson-fire/ |access-date=July 3, 2024 |publisher=KSEE |date=July 3, 2024}} 13 thousand residents of Oroville were evacuated from the area.

On Wednesday, the fire had scorched more than {{convert|3000|acres|ha}}.{{cite news |last1=Holpuch |first1=Amanda |title=13,000 Are Ordered to Evacuate as Wildfire Spreads in Northern California |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/03/us/thompson-wildfire-oroville-california.html |url-status=live |access-date=July 3, 2024 |work=The New York Times |date=July 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240703154817/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/03/us/thompson-wildfire-oroville-california.html |archive-date=July 3, 2024}} It was originally reported that eight firefighters were injured, three in a car crash and four were heat-related.{{cite news |last1=Hernandez |first1=Javier |title=8 firefighters injured during the Thompson Fire |url=https://www.actionnewsnow.com/news/8-firefighters-injured-during-the-thompson-fire/article_51a14538-39ab-11ef-896d-e7e70b61a7ea.html |access-date=July 4, 2024 |work=Action News Now |date=July 3, 2024}} However, that number had dropped to four on Thursday. Four structures were also destroyed.{{cite news |last1=Ahumada |first1=Rosalio |last2=Hunt |first2=Daniel |last3=Pedrosa |first3=Camila |title=Four homes destroyed, 13k remain evacuated as Thompson Fire burns 3,000 acres in Butte County |url=https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/fires/article289730514.html |url-status=live |access-date=July 4, 2024 |work=The Sacramento Bee |date=July 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240704210101/https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/fires/article289730514.html |archive-date=July 4, 2024}}

By Thursday, it was reported that growth of the fire had slowed, partly due to winds that were fueling the fire dying down.

Growth and containment status

class="wikitable" style="text-align: right;"

|+Fire containment status

Gray: contained; Red: active; %: percent contained

! Date

! Total area burned

! Personnel

! Containment

align=left | Jul 2{{cite web |title=Thompson Fire Incident Update for 07/02/2024 at 9:57 PM |url=https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2024/7/2/thompson-fire/updates/b7ac6e56-2b85-4bd0-bcfd-fe880077640d |publisher=California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection |access-date=July 6, 2024}}

| {{convert|2135|acre|ha|0|abbr=on}}

| 514 personnel

| align=left | {{percentile|0|width=84.5209818|height=15|text-size=10|progress-done-colour=grey|progress-tbd-colour=red|text-colour=white}}

align=left | Jul 3{{cite web |title=Thompson Fire Incident Update for 07/03/2024 at 3:33 PM |url=https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2024/7/2/thompson-fire/updates/55b0bc9a-8c17-4ce2-9630-0279d9953479 |publisher=California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection |access-date=July 6, 2024}}

| {{convert|3002|acre|ha|0|abbr=on}}

| 1,438 personnel

| align=left | {{percentile|0|width=118.844022|height=15|text-size=10|progress-done-colour=grey|progress-tbd-colour=red|text-colour=white}}

align=left | Jul 4{{cite web |title=Thompson Fire Incident Update for 07/04/2024 at 9:52 PM |url=https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2024/7/2/thompson-fire/updates/36c643b0-8843-4487-829b-953aede7c965 |publisher=California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection |access-date=July 6, 2024}}