Ronnie Stout singlehandedly started a fire that’s currently the size of Los Angeles. The 42-year-old convicted bandit and child molester, currently on probation for DUI, was spotted “pushing a burning car into a ravine in Bidwell Park on Wednesday afternoon.” It was his mother’s car. He tried to act casual and walk away but didn’t get far. He’s being held on arson charges but that’s not helping the thousands of families chased from their homes.
Park Fire sparks evacuation orders
The Park Fire exploded in size overnight into Saturday, blazing across a full 307,000 acres. Officials note that’s “nearly the size of Los Angeles.” It continues burning totally out of control, “0% contained.”
The “firenadoes” have been spectacular, spun up over the steep terrain by fierce wind. It may look fascinating on video but the local residents are frantic.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection issued new evacuation orders and warnings July 27. Residents “in multiple towns in the fire’s path through the northern part of the state’s central valley” need to grab the essentials and go.
The #ParkFire has grown to a mind-boggling 348,370 acres in less than 72 hours, becoming one of the fastest-growing wildfires in California history.
The fire has been spreading at an average pace of over 60 football fields per minute since it began. pic.twitter.com/1gXqMWfv8a
— Colin McCarthy (@US_Stormwatch) July 27, 2024
So far, at least 134 structures are toast. Right now, the blaze “threatens to destroy” 4,200 more in its direct path.
The conflagration started on Wednesday in Chico, California, which lies about 90 miles north of Sacramento.
The arsonist didn’t care about the restrictions on open fires when he torched mom’s car and sent it rolling down a gully full of dry brush. Since then, the fire forced around 4,000 people to evacuate.

8th largest in state
For now, Stout holds the slot for 8th largest fire in California’s history as a state. He could end up with a better finish before it’s put out.
The Lassen Volcanic National Park has their headquarters in the town of Mineral. Around 120 people call the village home. They were barely evacuated in time, as the flames “barreled toward Highway 36 and east toward the park.”
According to Cal Fire incident commander Billy See, “There’s a tremendous amount of fuel out there and it’s going to continue with this rapid pace.”
Convıcted chiId moIester charged in California Park Fire after woman witnessed him push his burnıng car down a gully.
She shared his pictures on social media which led to his arrəst. But where is the car and what was he trying to hide? pic.twitter.com/rKz50mBnzM
— TaraBull (@TaraBull808) July 26, 2024
Since it’s “ripping through grass, brush, timber and dead vegetation,” the inferno’s speeding outward “at up to 8 square miles, or 5,000 acres, per hour.”
This one is so huge that “billowing smoke and glowing flames could be seen from space.” The satellite video taken by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has been going viral.
At one point, they posted a 3% contained update but quickly erased it back off as the fire “roared across Butte and Tehama counties, which are under a state of emergency.“