A wildfire burning in Upper Bidwell Park at the base of the Sierra foothills east of Chico has swelled to about 500 acres this morning with firefighters and other assets streaming into the area.
Rick Carhart is a spokesman for Calfire Butte County.
"I’ve seen one helicopter and two air tankers, and I heard an order for two more bucket helicopters, oh and there is the skycrane, I just see it coming in right now, the big, giant 2,000 gallon water dropping helicopter."
First reported last night at around 10:45, the blaze is reportedly burning upstream along big chico creek and up the canyon walls.
Carhart said high power lines are at risk and that authorities have ordered the evacuation of an area subdivision.
“The fire is threatening 500 KV lines, power lines. Currently, the power is out for the lowest third of forest ranch. PG&E is working to get some of those power outages lifted and power back on to people. There’s no power outage for anybody in Chico, and we’ve got an evacuation order for the far eastern part of the Canyon Oaks Subdivision.”
Carhart said one home along highway 32 was also evacuated.
Despite dramatic photographs local residents are posting on social media, officials said the blaze is mainly burning away from populated areas.
Hwy 32 remains closed from Yosemite Drive to 8 and a half miles west of Forest Ranch, according to Caltrans.