- More than 22,000 firefighters were battling the blazes.
- Heavy smoke is lowering visibility and could ground aircraft.
- The nation’s largest fire is the Bootleg fire in southern Oregon.
Thousands of firefighters across the nation were combating “extreme fire behavior” Sunday as California’s largest blaze razed homes and forced thousands of residents to flee the fast-spreading flames.
The Dixie Fire in Northern California was one of at least 88 major wildfires raging across 13 states, including one in Oregon that has burned through 640 square miles. More than 22,000 firefighters were battling the blazes, often struggling with rugged terrain in hot, dry conditions, the National Interagency Fire Center said.
“Very dry conditions will continue for the northern Intermountain West, including poor overnight recovery for mid-slopes and ridges,” the fire center warned.
The Dixie Fire, which began less than two weeks ago, had grown to about 300 square miles Sunday and had destroyed more than 20 homes and buildings. Thousands of homes were threatened, and more than 5,000 firefighters were battling the blaze, Cal Fire said.
“Grateful for our firefighters fighting the Dixie Fire,” tweeted California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has declared a state of emergency. “If you’re in the area, please stay safe and follow local official warnings.”
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Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea was among law enforcement officials going door to door to ensure that residents of threatened areas evacuated. Complicating the firefighting effort was a series of smaller blaze breaking out in the area, including some started by people using machinery, Honea said.
“We can’t afford to have anymore fires, and thankfully, Cal Fire was able to get ahold of those fires and stop them from destroying any structures or spreading,” Honea told the Enterprise-Record. “But luck will not last. So if you’re going to be out there, doing things … that could cause a fire – stop.”
Evacuations have been ordered for several communities in Butte, Plumas and Tehama counties. The cause of the fire has not been determined.
Elsewhere in California, the Tamarack fire south of Lake Tahoe continued to burn through timber and chaparral and threatened communities on both sides of the California-Nevada state line. The fire, sparked by lightning July 4 in Alpine County, has destroyed at least 10 buildings.
Heavy smoke from that blaze and the Dixie fire lowered visibility and may at times ground aircraft providing support for fire crews. The air quality south of Lake Tahoe and across the state line into Nevada deteriorated to very unhealthy levels.
The nation’s largest wildfire, southern Oregon’s Bootleg fire, was nearly halfway surrounded Saturday as more than 2,200 crew members worked to corral it in the heat and wind, fire officials said. The growth of the sprawling blaze had slowed, but thousands of homes remained threatened on its eastern side, authorities said.
“This fire is resistant to stopping at dozer lines,” said Jim Hanson, fire behavior analyst with the Oregon Department of Forestry. “With the critically dry weather and fuels we are experiencing, firefighters are having to constantly reevaluate their control lines and look for contingency options.”
Contributing: The Associated Press
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