As the Dixie fire burns, horses graze in a Greenville field. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
The relentless Dixie fire continues to threaten homes and put firefighting resources under strain more than a month after it was ignited near Feather River Canyon's Pacific Gas and Electric Co. power plant.
Authorities said that the fire had destroyed 738 homes and commercial properties, and nearly 29,000 people were forced from their homes by Saturday morning. It had scorched 540,581 acres. Nearly 15,000 structures were still at risk.
Officials said that the fire produced a series of large runs on Friday. It sent up several large columns of smoke and ash, which in at least one instance generated its own lightning. Even veteran firefighters have been stunned by its ferocity, which has made it difficult for them to predict when they will be able to win.
We find it challenging to use the word "typical" when describing the U.S. Forest Service's massive fire. Dan McKeague, a public information officer, stated that the fire's unusual size and unpredictable behavior is what makes it unique. It is not common to see this combination of active fires over such large landscapes.
McKeague stated that the fire was 31% contained and that new evacuation orders were issued for Genesee Valley Friday night because of thunderstorms. This caused erratic outflow winds, which increased fire activity.
He said that you can experience sudden changes in wind direction due to outflow drafts. Imagine a faucet that lets water flow down, and then it spreads to all directions when it hits the sink. That's how pressure systems interact.
Officials from fire departments were watching Saturday's conditions closely, as a smoke-inversion that had previously put a stop to the fire earlier in week had cleared out.
He said that this puts more sun on the fire and could cause more air movement. This is not good for fire behavior.
According to Edwin Zuniga (public information officer at the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection), firefighters on the western flank of fire saw lots of activity along Highway 36, Chester and Westwood. Crews laid 50 to 100 feet of contingency lines.
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He said that a lot of structure protection resources have been assigned to this area in order to protect the peninsula of Lake Almanor, as well as the cabins along Highway 36 and Westwood.
He said that the weather continued to be a challenge with warmer and drier temperatures forecast for the next few days.
According to Scott Rowe, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Sacramento, temperatures in the vicinity of the fire could reach as high as the upper 80s or just shy of 100 depending on how much smoke is present.
July 13 was the day that the Dixie fire erupted near where a tree had fallen into a PG&E line. According to the utility, it took 10 hours for a worker to reach remote location and see flames.
While the cause of the fire is still under investigation, prosecutors from at least two counties are looking into potential criminal charges against PG&E. They claim that the utility should have been aware there was a high possibility of fire in the canyon. After the destruction of Paradise, PG&E equipment set off the 2018 Camp Fire. The utility pleaded guilty to 84 charges of manslaughter. PG&E had originally planned to bury the power lines that could have ignited the Dixie fire in a safety campaign. However, work on the project was not yet underway.
The Dixie fire broke out amid extreme conditions. Human-caused climate change has caused temperatures to rise and disrupted the natural patterns for precipitation upon which California depends to provide water to its ecosystems.
Rowe stated that this year's state saw its hottest June, July and July ever recorded, with the highest heat intensity in the interior where fires are burning.
Authorities also believe that a century of aggressive fire suppression has led to patches of forest that have become densely populated with dry brush, allowing invasive species to spread into areas where they once would have been kept out by more frequent, low-intensity fires.
These conditions have created an active, intense fire season, which has stressed resources. This has led to shortages of equipment and personnel that are felt across the country.
According to the National Interagency Fire Center, more than 6,500 people were assigned to the Dixie Fire. This represents a quarter of nearly 25,000 firefighters nationwide who were fighting over 100 large uncontained fires.
McKeague stated that there were some crucial positions we couldn't fill as often as we would like. This includes our division supervisors, dozer operators, hotshot crews, and even critical line medic positions responsible for all medical emergencies for firefighters.
This comes after the National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group issued memos alerting firefighters to a shortage in radio communications equipment. They also advised those attending incidents to bring enough water and food to sustain them for three days because of high demand.
McKeague stated that although there were no specific actions that firefighters weren't able to take due to personnel shortages they have sometimes found themselves without as much coverage in certain areas.
He said, "With a fire so large and active, we would certainly be putting all of the additional resources to work, if they were possible."
Officials also said there was a chance of thunderstorms moving above the fire on Saturday. This prompted officials to warn firefighters to be aware of changing conditions, including ground lightning strikes.
McKeague stated that fuels that are so dry and historically dry have a high chance of igniting new fires. The probability of ignition is essentially the likelihood that an ember will land in vegetation to start a new fire. It has always been between 90%-100%.
The Sierra Nevada's vegetation goes through a "greenup" in spring. It takes up water, blossoms, and then goes dormant in the dry months. The vegetation then starts to burn like it is dead, even though it is still alive.
Bauer stated that this year's precipitation was very sparse. It fell too early in the season, so that the live vegetation didn't reach its maximum moisture content before it went dormant.
He said that it was all now very dry. The brush is burning like dead fuel.
This also meant that active fires could be started earlier in the year. He said that the Plumas National forest would normally not enter its fire season before mid-July. It started this year in May. It should last until September, if not October.
He said that "Weve been in fireseason for a long while" and "we still have a lot more fire season ahead of ourselves."
This story first appeared in Los Angeles Times.
