Increasing wind and heat plus risk of thunderstorms expected in fight against California wildfire

Firefighters battling California’s largest wildfire of the year are preparing for treacherous conditions entering the weekend. The forecast calls for possible thunderstorms that may unleash fire-starting lightning and erratic winds that could erode progress made over the past week. Weather, fuels and terrain are expected to pose challenges for the 6,000 firefighters battling the Park Fire, which erupted in a wilderness park in the Sierra Nevada foothills east of Chico. The fire’s push northward has brought it toward the rugged lava rock landscape surrounding Lassen Volcanic National Park, which has been closed due to the threat. Cal Fire says lava rocks make for hard and slow work for hand crews.