California wildfires: Dixie Fire continues to grow in footprint of 2018 Camp Fire; no containment yet

Firefighters are doubling their efforts on a wildfire that sparked Wednesday near California’s deadliest blaze, using burn scars from the 2018 Camp Fire to protect several Butte County communities.

The Dixie Fire quickly chewed through 2,250 acres in Plumas County by Thursday morning and was 0% contained, according to Cal Fire. Crews said fighting the fire has been difficult because of the steep and rugged terrain surrounding the Feather River Canyon.

While the fire was burning north away from areas ravaged by the Camp Fire, the threat to communities like Pulga and east Concow remained, as did evacuation warnings. The burn scars also stand between the Dixie Fire and those areas rebuilding, limiting the fire’s path west, said Butte County Supervisor Bill Connelly.

But as the fire burned north, the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office issued mandatory evacuation orders for the High Lakes area. Evacuation warnings are also in place for the area between the Plumas County line and the town of Tobin. The Butte County Sheriff’s Office soon followed with evacuation warnings for the Philbrook area.

Cal Fire spokesman Capt. Jacob Gilliam said the Dixie Fire’s location could still pose an advantage as firefighters use control lines put in place during the Camp Fire and last year’s North Complex fires to stage their attack.

He said Thursday’s plan for the 350 personnel assigned to the blaze include building on those protections to keep the fire from heading downhill, into more populated Butte County.

“If it goes beyond those lines, the fire will move towards areas that are populated,” Gilliam said. “So we’re really just trying to reinforce those fire lines on the south and west side of the fire. Because we do have a history of strong winds down in that area that could push the fire at nighttime.”

Other fires continue to impact California residents, including the Beckwourth Complex, the River Fire and the Bootleg Fire in Oregon. Here is updated information on the fires as of 8 a.m. Thursday:

Beckwourth Complex

California’s largest fire surpassed 100,000 acres Wednesday night due to strong winds. The fire now stands at 100,531 acres (157 square miles) and 68% containment.

The Complex is made up of the Sugar Fire and the now-defunct Dotta Fire, which was contained at 594 acres. The Sugar Fire continues to burn in the Plumas National Forest between Beckwourth in Plumas County and the Nevada state line.

Containment ticked down after 50-mph winds pushed the Sugar Fire by 5,000 acres in Lassen County. Evacuation orders briefly returned to the town of Doyle (population 700), which had 33 homes destroyed over the weekend. Highway 395 was also closed for several hours.

U.S. Forest Service officials said firefighters were able to “catch” the latest flare-up Wednesday night despite continued “extreme fire behavior.”

Winds of up to 30 mph are expected Thursday. The Sugar Fire’s size is also generating its own weather, which could create more dangerous conditions despite cooler temperatures across Northern California.

River Fire

The River Fire has charred 9,500 acres and is 36% contained. The fire is burning along the border of Mariposa and Madera counties, southwest of Yosemite National Park.

The fire has remained stagnant, authorities said, after it zoomed up during the weekend and destroying five homes.

Officials lifted evacuation orders Wednesday but skies in the area, including inside Yosemite National Park a few miles to the northeast, remain smoky. Smoke also has descended into the San Joaquin Valley, lingering in Fresno and Merced.

Bootleg Fire

The Bootleg Fire in central Oregon has charred over 212,000 acres (331 square miles), with no significant progress on containment. The fire is burning 35 miles northeast of Klamath Falls and about 45 miles north of the California border.

The fire has disrupted three major electricity transmission lines, which provide up to 5,500 megawatts of electricity to California. California’s power grid remains stretched thin, and could be pushed to its limit if hot weather returns.

A heat wave last weekend caused the California Independent System Operator to issue three Flex Alerts due to strain from the Oregon fire, and at one point, the ISO issued the second stage 2 emergency alert since 2006.

Seven homes and 43 outbuildings were destroyed in the fire as of Monday morning. Over 1,000 homes are under evacuation orders.

Lava, Salt and Tennant Fire nearly contained

Major fires that raged in Northern California over the past two weeks have begun to slow. The Lava, Salt and Tennant fires have not shown significant growth in the last 72 hours, and all have containment rates above 75%. Crews are engaged in mop-up efforts in Shasta and Siskiyou counties.

The Lava Fire, which previously held the title of California’s largest wildfire this season, is 77% contained at 26,300 acres. It continues to spread slightly on Mount Shasta, where rugged terrain makes it difficult for firefighters to hold fire lines. No structures or populated areas are threatened by the fire.

The Salt and Tennant fires are 90% and 100% contained, respectively. All evacuation orders and warnings have been lifted.

The fires collectively charred over 48,000 acres. Current estimates say the fires destroyed 74 buildings, 43 of which were homes.

This story was originally published July 15, 2021 at 9:57 AM with the headline "California wildfires: Dixie Fire continues to grow in footprint of 2018 Camp Fire; no containment yet."