BUTTE COUNTY, Calif. — According to Cal Fire's Friday evening report, the Dixie Fire increased by 40,000 acres Thursday to Friday, becoming the largest wildfire currently burning in California.
The Dixie Fire, which started on July 14, has since burned a total of 167,430 acres and is only 18% contained as of Friday evening. Cal Fire believes the fire will continue to move further north and northeast, with the possibility for two to three more miles of new growth.
Fire crews are also now dealing with the Fly Fire, which sparked Thursday evening in Butterfly Valley, near the site of the Dixie Fire, growing up to 1,650 acres.
“A spot fire developed west of the community of Twain. Another blaze, the Fly Fire, developed near Huff Mountain”, Cal Fire Chief Mike Wink said in a video report Friday morning. “We ran our computer model on the small spot fire in the east zone and put all our inputs in there with weather and fuels, topography and slope, and that spot fire outpaced all of our modelings. Some of these very dry conditions with low fuel moisture will increase fire activity."
The cause for both the Fly and Dixie fires is currently being investigated and multiple evacuation orders and warnings have been issued. Firefighting resources in the air and on the ground have arrived to help fight the fire. About 4,266 personnel are working the fire, Cal Fire announced.
More than 1,510 structures are threatened by the fire, and so far eight have been destroyed.
WATCH: Cal Fire's Friday evening briefing:
Accounts to follow:
As evacuation orders force people to leave their homes, and an evacuee shelter in Chester has reached capacity, a shelter is available in Tehama County at 19725 Ridge Rd in Red Bluff and, for those in the Quincy area, there is a shelter at 59 Bell Lane.
Evacuation orders:
Plumas County
- High Lakes (Plumas County) – Recreational area of Plumas County east of the Butte/Plumas county line
- Plumas/Butte County line east to Twain – Includes both sides of Highway 70 in the areas of Rock Creek, Storrie, Tobin, Belden, Caribou Rich Bar, and Twain
- Meadow Valley at Bucks Lake – Bucks Lake Road at Riverdance and everything west to the Butte/Plumas county line. This includes Snake Lake, Meadow Valley, Tolgate, Bucks Lake, Bucks Lake Highlands, and all surrounding areas
- Caribou Road north to the Humbug Road and Humboldt Road intersection – This includes Belden Reservoir and Butt Valley Reservoir
- Prattville Butt Reservoir Road and everything west of the Butte/Plumas county line – Humbug Road from the intersection of the Humbug-Humboldt Road west to the Butte County line and everything south of the Humbug Road is under a mandatory evacuation order
- The community of Seneca south of Highway 70
- West Shore of Lake Almanor, Prattville, and Canyon Dam – From Canyon Dam northwest to Highway 36 at Highway 89. This includes Big Meadows, Lake Almanor West along with the Rocky Point Campground, the Canyon Dam Boat Launch and Canyon Dam
- Round Valley Reservoir, Dixie Canyon, Indian Falls – Long Valley (west of Round Valley), Dixie Canyon south to Indian Falls, south of Indian Falls, to the Highway 70/89 junction
- Butterfly Valley, Keddie to Highway 70 at Black Hawk Road, Snake Lake – This includes the Spanish Creek campground, Round House Road, Old Highway (West)
- Greenville and Crescent Mills
- Everything west of Highway 89/36 junction, west along the southside of Highway 36 to the county line
- East side of Keddie, Round House Road and Old Highway (West)
- Taylorsville – All of Arlington Road
- Highway 70 at Blackhawk Road, south to Barlow Road and everything west to Snake Lake
Residents are being asked to evacuate northbound to Highway 147 and then to Chester for Shelter or southbound via Highway 89 and Highway 70 to Quincy. Emergency crews are going door-to-door warning residents to get out.
Butte County:
- Jonesville area
- Philbrook area
- High Lakes area
Read more HERE about the intensified evacuation orders in Plumas and Butte Counties (P Zones 1-12).
Evacuation warning
Plumas County:
- Chester, Lake Almanor Peninsula, and East Shore of Highway 147 – including the greater Chester area, Hamilton Branch, Lake Almanor Peninsula, and East shore. Everything west of Highway 89 between Canyon Dam and Highway 36, west to the county line
- West Quincy – From the top of Cemetery Hill including Quincy Junction Road to Mount Hough Road and everything west
- Genesee Valley – Southeast of Taylorsville up to the Antelope Lake Road and everything south to Brady’s Camp
- North and Eastern parts of Indian Valley – Includes Pecks Valley Road east to North Arm and Diamond Mountain Road
- East Quincy – Highway 70 near Massack and everything west toward Meadow Valley. This includes Chandler Road and Quincy-La Porte Road from Highway 70 to Thompson Creek
Butte County:
- Area to include the Tehama County Line East to Old Loma Road
- Carpenter Ridge East to Skyway
- Skyway North from Humbug Summit line to Butte Creek
- All the Fish Creek area within Lassen National Forest area road
- Pulga and Philbrook Areas East of the West branch of the Feather River
- West of SR70 North of Magalia
- Intersection of SR70 at Pulga Rd, and South of the Plumas County Line.
- Butte Meadows and Inskip areas
Tehama County:
- T Zone 1: to include the area of Colby Creek. The warning will begin at the Butte and Tehama County line, west along the Tehama County Line to the intersection with SR32, north along the SR32 corridor to the intersection with SR36, from the intersection with SR32 and SR36, east along SR36 to the intersection with Plumas and Tehama County Line.
Evacuation centers
- Spring of Hope Church, 59 Belle Lane Quincy, CA 95971
- run by the American Red Cross California Gold Country Region
- Ridgeway Park, 19725 Ridge Road, Red Bluff, CA 96080
- Plumas County Animal Services, 201 N Mill Creek Rd Quincy, CA 95971
Road Closures
Plumas County
- Camp Creek Road
- State Route 70 at the North junction with State Route 89 Greenville Wye
- State Route 70 eastbound at SR89
- State Route 70 westbound at Gansner
- Oroville-Quincy Highway at Plains Rd (Four Trees)
- Bucks Lake Rd at River Dance
- State Route 89 at State Route 36
- State Route 89 at State Route 147
- State Route 147 at State Route 89
- State Route 32 from Butte Meadows to the junction with State Route 36
Butte County
- SR 70 is closed from 14.3 miles East of the junction of SR 191 (Jarbo Gap at CAL FIRE Station 36
- Bucks Lake Rd from Riverdance west to Mountain House in Butte County
- For current State Highway/Route information visit roads.dot.ca.gov
Butte County Evacuation Map
A live evacuation map from Butte County is available below.
Wildfire Map
WILDFIRE PREPS
According to Cal Fire, 2020 was one of the most severe fire seasons on record as 9,917 wildfires burned 4.2 million acres. Over 9,000 structures were destroyed, and 31 people (civilians and firefighters) were killed.
California also experienced its first "Gigafire" because of the August Complex Fire, burning over 1 million acres by itself. Four of California's top five largest wildfires in state history happened in 2020.
If you live in a wildfire-prone zone, Cal Fire suggests creating a defensible space around your home. Defensible space is an area around a building in which vegetation and other debris are completely cleared. At least 100 feet is recommended.
The Department of Homeland Security suggests assembling an emergency kit that has important documents, N95 respirator masks, supplies to grab with you if you’re forced to leave at a moment’s notice. The agency also suggests signing up for local warning system notifications and know your community’s evacuation plans best to prepare yourself and your family in cases of wildfires.
Some counties use Nixle alerts to update residents on severe weather, wildfires, and other news. To sign up, www.nixle.com or text your zip code to 888777 to start receiving alerts.
PG&E customers can also subscribe to alerts via text, email, or phone call. If you're a PG&E customer, visit the Profile & Alerts section of your account to register.