A massive wildfire covering over 3,500 acres is approaching a popular California travel destination.

The Thompson Fire, currently raging on the outskirts of Oroville in Butte County, California, is slowly approaching the famous North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve.

Known for its spectacular wildflower blooms during the spring months, this reserve attracts numerous tourists thanks to its unique geological formations and diverse flora and fauna.

The North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve is located on a mesa-like landform north of Oroville that was created by ancient lava flows. One of the main attractions of the site is the spectacular wildflower blooms that typically occur from late February to early May. The reserve is home to a variety of native wildflowers, including lupines, poppies and the rare Table Mountain meadowfoam.

The preserve is currently closed due to the Thompson wildfire, which started Tuesday morning. According to the latest Cal Fire update, the fire is currently at 3,568 acres and only 7 percent contained. The wildfire is believed to have started due to the intense heatwave currently hitting California and the incredibly dried out brush vegetation in the area.

“Conditions in our county this summer are very different than the last two summers,” Garrett Sjolund, chief of operations for Cal Fire's Butte County fire department, said at a news conference Tuesday. “The fuels are very dense, the underbrush is dry and as you will see, any wind will move the fire quickly.”

More than 13,000 Butte County residents have evacuated their homes and 1,900 firefighters are working to contain the fire. Four of them have been injured.

California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Wednesday.

“We are using every tool available to fight this fire and will continue to work closely with our local and federal partners to support affected communities. As we head into some of the most difficult months of the wildfire season, the state is better prepared than ever to protect vulnerable communities with new tools, technology and resources,” Newsom said in the statement.

Many of those ordered to evacuate live on the northern outskirts of Oroville, which is just about 20 miles south of Paradise, a town that was razed by the 2018 Camp Fire, killing 85 people. Oroville's Fourth of July fireworks display was canceled tonight by California State Parks due to the evacuations and damage caused by the inferno.

The hot weather isn't going away in the next few days. Temperatures in Oroville will reach as high as 115 degrees Fahrenheit this weekend. Record high temperatures are expected across the state in the coming days. Heat advisories are in effect across much of the state, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

“Dangerously hot conditions with highs between 40 and 47 degrees. Limited relief overnight with lows between 18 and 28 degrees. Widespread severe to extreme heat risk expected,” the NWS said Thursday in a warning for the region, which includes Oroville and the North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve.

Fortunately for the reserve, even if the fire reaches the site, the plants will recover by next spring.

“Grasses and wildflowers regenerate very quickly. Native plants in particular are adapted to fire,” Laura Drath of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife told SFGATE. “We don't expect there to be too much of a long-term impact on the wildflowers themselves, and with any luck they should be back as normal in the spring.”

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