The largest wildfire burning in California was nearly halfway contained early Friday as state fire crews prepped for their third weekend fighting the blaze, while another large blaze was almost out, state fire officials said.
State firefighters have held the Park Fire in Butte and Tehama counties steady at 429,263 acres since Monday and have increased containment of it to 49%, Cal Fire said in a Friday morning update. The containment figure has grown 15% in the past week.
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Humidity in the area has increased in the the past few days, and that kept the fire’s activity to a minimum overnight, according to Cal Fire. Crews continue to focus on keeping the blaze within the containment lines, including in the northern end of the fire zone on California state highways 32, 36 and 172.
In these areas, crews have increased the number of crews doing mop-up work, removing hazardous trees and reducing the smoke.
Temperatures were expected to be in the 80s and humidity is likely to be slightly lower on Friday, according to weather forecasts.
The Park Fire has burned 113,744 acres in Lassen National Forest.
In El Dorado County, the Crozier Fire has stalled at 1,938 acres, and crews had it 91% contained by Thursday night, Cal Fire said. All evacuation orders for the fire have been lifted, but portions of the El Dorado National Forest remain closed.
According to Cal Fire, the Crozier Fire is smoldering in rugged terrain within fire perimeter’s interior. Crews are continuing mop up work and removing hazardous trees.
Cal Fire said the U.S. Forest Service will take over the work of fully extinguishing the blaze, which began on Aug. 6.
That leaves the Boise Fire as the one Northern California blaze that crews have not slowed down. That fire in Humboldt County as reached 10,205 acres and was 0% contained Thursday night. That fire has caused evacuations in eight different zones in Humboldt County.
Please check back for updates.
