Man arrested in connection with California wildfire that has burned more than 160,000 acres

A Northern California wildfire, which has surged into the state’s largest blaze of the season, destroying structures and prompting thousands of evacuations, was allegedly ignited by a man who pushed a burning car into a gully, authorities said Thursday.

The 48-year-old arson suspect, identified as Ronnie Dean Stout II, was arrested Thursday morning and jailed without bail, according to Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey. Stout, linked to starting the Park Fire near Chico in Butte County, is set for arraignment on Monday.

Authorities reported that Stout was seen just before 3 p.m. local time on Wednesday, pushing a burning car into a gully known as “Alligator Hole” in Bidwell Park, near Chico. Witnesses observed Stout calmly leaving the scene, blending in with park visitors fleeing the fast-spreading fire, Ramsey said.

Stout has two prior “strike” felony convictions, which will factor into his charges alongside the arson allegations. Under California’s “Three Strikes and You’re Out” law, a life sentence can be imposed for any crime if the defendant has two previous serious or violent felony convictions. Stout’s prior felonies include lewd acts with a child under 14 in 2001 and robbery with great bodily injury in 2002. Following his 2002 conviction, he was sentenced to 20 years in state prison.

The Park Fire, which began around 3 p.m. Wednesday northeast of Chico in Bidwell Park, had burned over 164,000 acres by Friday morning. It has destroyed an undetermined number of structures and led to evacuations in rural foothill communities, including nearly the entire town of Cohasset, with a population of about 400.

Over 1,100 firefighters were working to contain the blaze Thursday morning, using helicopters and bulldozers in a bid to protect homes in north Chico. The Park Fire was only 3% contained as of Friday morning, according to Cal Fire.

“The fire is well established,” Cal Fire said in an update. “Fire personnel are focusing on evacuations and structure defense while concurrently building containment lines with bulldozers, fire crews, and fire engines.” Additional resources have been ordered from across Northern California.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. At least 3,800 people were under evacuation orders in Butte and Tehama counties.

The Park Fire has surpassed the Lake Fire near Santa Barbara, which started on July 5, as the largest wildfire in California this season. By Thursday morning, the Lake Fire had burned 38,664 acres and was 90% contained, having destroyed four structures and injured at least six firefighters.

The Butte County blaze is one of 64 new fires that erupted in California on Wednesday. Rick Carhart, a Cal Fire spokesperson, described the fire activity as “dynamic,” noting hot temperatures and steep terrain complicating firefighting efforts. Temperatures in the area have reached 100 to 110 degrees, and flames were consuming 4,000 acres per hour in the first 12 hours of the fire.

“The area where the fire is most active hasn’t burned in 20 years,” Carhart said, emphasizing the abundance of dry vegetation fueling the blaze. Cal Fire reported that this wildfire season has burned 15 times more acreage than at this time last year and involved nearly 800 more fires, including 54 resulting in arson arrests.