California fire rapidly reaches state's top 10 biggest ever

CHICO, July 28 (AFP): A fire raging out of control in northern California has rapidly become among the biggest ever in the western US state, authorities said Saturday.
The so-called Park Fire had burned almost 350,000 acres (142,000 hectares) as of late Saturday morning, making it the seventh-largest ever recorded in California history, the state agency Cal Fire said on X.
The fire, which prompted orders for more than 4,000 people to flee their homes, was burning through a largely rural, mountainous area near the city of Chico, some 90 miles (145 kilometers) north of state capital Sacramento.
"Extreme fire conditions continue to challenge firefighters," it said.