Monday, July 8th, 2024 in Oroville Butte County Board of Supervisors voted to ratify the emergency declaration, regarding the Thompson fire that began in Oroville mid-morning on July, 2nd,2024. This will allow the Butte County Board of Supervisors to keep the emergency declaration for at least 30 days. When the Thompson fire started to get out of control Butte County Chief Administrative Officer Andy Pickett gave the order, according to reports by Chico-Enterprise Record.
The Thompson fire is reportedly at an 86 % containment, The cause of the fire is still unknown and under investigation. Some of the Evacuations were downgraded to warnings allowing some folks to return to their homes, as over a dozen homes have been destroyed.
One man was arrested in Oroville for lighting his backyard on fire during the Thompson fire to use a tactic used by trained firefighters called a “backfire” The firefighters put that fire out and now the man Harold G. Pulley, 61, of Oroville his bail was set at $175,000 and faces a max of 12 years in state prison, as reported by Action News Now Pulley also has a previous strike on his record for felony assault.
Butte County local government has announced the activation of a Fire Survivor Resource Line for residents impacted by the recent fires in the area, including the Thompson fire which has burned close to 4,000 acres causing many in the area to evacuate.
The Butte County Department of Employment and Social Services said the phone line is designed to provide recovery information and resources for anyone whose homes have been damaged or destroyed in the recent fires in the area.
The Hotline number is 530-552-6262, you can receive information on various topics such as
- Housing Assistance: Resources for finding temporary and long-term housing solutions
- Financial Aid: information on available financial support and how to apply
- Basic needs like food, clothing, and other essential items
- Emotional Support: contact information for counseling/mental health services
- Rebuilding and Recovery: Guidance on steps to take for obtaining important documents, rebuilding homes, and navigating the insurance claims
The resource line which officially launched Saturday, July 6th is open every day from the hours of 8 am to 5 pm.
Update: since the writing of this article the level of containment of the Thompson fire has been upgraded to 100% per the Cal Fire website
