Scorched cars are left behind after the Dixie fire blazed through of Plumas County
As the Dixie fire rages, scorched cars are seen in a clearing in the Indian Falls community of Plumas County on Sunday. As of Monday, the fire had leapt to nearly 200,000 acres.
What’s become the 15th largest fire in California history has doubled in size in less than a week, destroying homes in its wake.
The massive Dixie fire burning in Butte County, north of Sacramento, had ballooned to nearly 200,000 acres Monday morning, according to an incident report. It is 22% contained.
The fire achieved “megafire” status when it surpassed 100,000 acres Thursday, spurred on by scorching temperatures and drought conditions that fire officials said have led to the blaze’s explosive growth since it began July 13.
Over the weekend, the Dixie fire merged with another smaller fire — dubbed the Fly fire — which had previously scorched about 4,300 acres.
The two blazes had destroyed at least 16 structures by Monday, according to Ventura County Fire Capt. Tony McHale, who is working with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s management team on the Dixie fire.
More than 10,720 structures are currently threatened by the flames, he said.
Cal Fire Santa Clara Unit Strike Team 9163G engaged on Division Q of the Dixie Fire.
Before the fires merged, the Dixie fire was already the largest wildfire in California this year. On Sunday night, it also became California’s 15th largest wildfire in state history, said Rick Carhart, a spokesman for the Cal Fire’s Butte County unit.
More than 5,400 personnel are attacking the blaze around the clock, laying containment lines and adding contingency lines as a backup, McHale said.
“It’s called ground-pounding,” McHale said, adding, “when the weather changes on us, we hope those lines can hold.”
The blaze forced more people from their homes over the weekend. More than two dozen mandatory evacuations grew to include all of Genesee Valley, north and eastern parts of Indian Valley, Grizzly Mountain and the east shore of Lake Almanor, as well as several other communities.
A brief respite in fire conditions is now set to give way to harsher days.
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