BUTTE COUNTY, Calif. — The Dixie Fire that ravaged much of Greenville two weeks ago still threatened communities Tuesday.
Authorities said the fire is only a few miles from Susanville, the seat of Lassen County and home to some 18,000 people, two state prisons and a casino.
According to the latest figures from Cal Fire, the Dixie Fire has burned 626,751 acres and is still just 31% contained.
In the west zone, the fire marched east and south due to the windy, red flag conditions. There were several instances of spotting. Control lines were challenged in several areas as conditions pushed the fire forward. Meteorologists expect a dry cold front to move across the area Tuesday night, shifting winds to the northwest, and eventually to the northeast.
In the east zone, a Red Flag Warning remains in effect through 11 p.m. Fire weather conditions were dampened thanks to smoke from the
McFarland Fire in Trinity County. Winds gusted up to 30 mph and relative humidity is still expected to drop with the approaching cold front, meteorologists said.
In their 7 p.m. update, Cal Fire officials said the Peter’s Creek area has had high fire activity and firefighters continued to actively work to hold the primary control line. Currently, the fire has not crossed Fruit Growers Boulevard, they said.
In an update from Plumas County Sheriff Todd Johns, he said crews were working on getting some evacuees from Chester, Greenville, and Canyon Dam back home. He said that he was optimistic it might happen in the next couple of days.
Sheriff Johns also relayed a message from the Lassen County sheriff calling on people living in the area of Highway 395, Janesville or the Milford area to evacuate as the fire moves along and above Highway 395 south of Janesville and toward Milford.
CHP-Quincy announced earlier that US-395 was closed in both directions from SR-70 to County Road A3 due to fire and smoke encroaching on the highway.
CHP-Susanville said several people have tried crossing the desert in Nevada to reach Reno only to break down en-route. CHP is warning that the roads in that area are not patrolled and that there are no services along them. According to CHP, the roads are in very poor conditions and drivers should be prepared for flat tires, break-downs, and extremely slow speeds.
At this time, more than 1,208 structures have been destroyed in the fire, along with 81 that have been damaged.
Accounts to follow:
Evacuations and road closures
Click HERE for in-depth evacuation orders and warnings in Plumas, Butte, Tehama, and Lassen Counties. For current state highway/route information visit roads.dot.ca.gov.
Evacuation centers
- Spring of Hope Church, 59 Belle Lane Quincy, CA 95971
- run by the American Red Cross California Gold Country Region
- Lassen Community College at 478-200 CA-139 Susanville
- Lassen High School 1110 Main St., Susanville, CA
- Holy Family Catholic Church 108 Taylor Ave. Portola, CA
- Recreation Center 101 Meadowview Lane, Chester
- 201 Mill Creek Rd. Quincy (small animals)
- Plumas County Fairgrounds 204 Fairground Road, Quincy (large animals)
- Tehama County Complex 1830 Walnut Street, Red Bluff (large and small animals)
Dixie Fire Structure Status Map
A live map showing which structures have been destroyed or at risk is available below.
Butte County Evacuation Map
A live evacuation map from Butte County is available below.
Wildfire Map
An updated map of the acreage of the Dixie Fire.
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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.
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WATCH MORE ON ABC10: California Wildfires: Dixie Fire evening update - Aug. 16, 2021