Northern California is currently grappling with a massive, rapidly advancing wildfire, prompting authorities to urge residents in affected areas to evacuate. Police have arrested an individual suspected of starting the fire.

A massive wildfire has prompted the evacuation of over 4,000 residents after it spread uncontrollably across northern California.

The Park Fire in Butte County continued to grow rapidly as of Saturday morning, affecting approximately 307,369 acres (1,244 square kilometers), according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).

The fire began on Wednesday near Chico in Butte County, leading to the evacuation of around 400 residents. Within hours, it spread to the neighboring Tehama County, where it has caused extensive damage.

The fire is believed to have been started deliberately by an arsonist who pushed a burning car into a ravine. A 42-year-old suspect was arrested on Thursday and is being held without bail until a court appearance next week.

More than 1,600 firefighters have been dispatched to fight the Park Fire. The blaze has already destroyed approximately 134 structures.

"The biggest challenge with this fire is gaining access to it," said Fire Captain Dan Collins. "The land is steep with almost no roads, making it difficult to get our personnel and equipment to the fire lines."

The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for the area through Friday night, forecasting "critical" fire weather conditions.

Authorities continue to urge people in affected areas to evacuate immediately.

"You need to be prepared to leave," warned Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea. "This county has repeatedly experienced situations where people have waited too long and lost their lives."

Chico resident Carli Parker informed the AP news agency that she and her family decided to evacuate when the fire began burning across the street from their home.

"I felt endangered because the police came to our house after we had signed up for early evacuation warnings. They quickly got into their vehicle after telling us that we needed to self-evacuate and would not return," said Parker, who is a mother of five.

The fire is burning just 25 miles (approximately 40 kilometers) from Paradise, a city that was devastated by a fire in 2018, which resulted in the deaths of 85 people.

California is currently facing about 20 active wildfires, indicating an unusually early start to what could be a severe wildfire season.