Scrap fire burns in south Oroville, wildfire in Bidwell Park

OROVILLE — A column of black smoke rose up Feather River Boulevard as firefighters battled a scrap yard blaze in 106-degree heat on Wednesday.

Firefighters with Cal Fire-Butte County rushed to Georgia Pacific Way and Merlo Avenue at 1:12 p.m. Wednesday to find a pile of materials on fire. Multiple engines and two ladder trucks were called to the incident for support as well as a helicopter dropping water on the flaming mound.

One ladder truck had its ladder extended and a firefighter scaled it and was shooting water down onto the blaze.

On Highway 70, it smelled like burning rubber and metal near the scene of the fire.

As of 3 p.m. Wednesday, the fire was still burning. Cal Fire Public Information Officer Rick Carhart said crews were focused on keeping it from spreading to other areas of the Feather River Industrial Complex.

“We’re not putting our suits on and going into black smoke to get it, we’re just fighting it with water to make sure the fire doesn’t spread to any structures in the complex,” Carhart said.

Cal Fire-Butte County dubbed the blaze the Feather Fire on social media.

Last week, a pile of debris caught fire at Chico Scrap Metal, and a fire burned overnight Saturday.

Park Fire

A second fire broke out near Upper Park Road in Bidwell Park just before 3 p.m. Wednesday. Initially reported as five acres, the blaze had spread to 25 acres before 3:15 p.m.

Carhart said Cal Fire-Butte County dispatched firefighters to the Park Fire. According to the Watch Duty App, five additional engines were requested for the fire at 3:11 p.m.

The fire was initially described in the app as being a vegetation fire with a moderate rate of spread and is heading uphill into the canyon.