California’s fifth-largest wildfire, the Park Fire, is now endangering crucial habitats for the threatened spring-run Chinook salmon. This fire, which has spread into the Mill and Deer Creek watersheds in Tehama County, poses a severe risk to one of the few remaining populations of this endangered species. Federal and state officials have expressed grave concerns that if the fire advances to higher altitudes, it could deliver a final blow to the salmon, which are already at a critically low population level. These watersheds are essential for adult salmon waiting to spawn in cooler waters and for juveniles preparing for their migration to the ocean.

Rather than the fire itself, the main concern is the firefighting effort and the potential aftermath that the fire presents, which can cause significant threats to the salmon habitats. Fire retardants, although necessary, are toxic to fish, and heavy rains could later wash ash, chemicals, and sediment into the creeks, smothering eggs and young fish. This sediment could also lead to a microbial bloom that depletes oxygen levels in the water. Experts have emphasized that the salmon, which have been declining due to factors like dam construction and water diversion, are now facing an even more precarious situation. Conservation efforts, such as a hatchery program initiated by state and federal wildlife agencies, aim to safeguard the species, but the immediate threat from the Park Fire adds another layer of urgency to these efforts.