Dixie Fire In Northern California Is Third Largest Wildfire In State History
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) - Devastating images show homes burned in the Dixie Fire north of Sacramento, the third-largest wildfire in California history as of Friday night.
The Dixie Fire was at 432,813 acres Friday. It is the largest wildfire to burn in the United States this year.
The blaze near Chico in Greenville, California, took a turn for the worse after winds picked up and the fire broke out of the containment lines that firefighters had established south of the town of Greenville. In a matter of hours, the fire swept through the small community leaving almost nothing in its wake but ash.
No injuries or deaths have been reported, but the fire continued to threaten more than 10,000 homes Friday. It is just 35% contained.
Fire officials said the gusts were so strong on Thursday they uprooted a tree and knocked it over a garage.
"This is going to be a long firefight," said Capt. Mitch Matlow, spokesperson of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
About a two-hour drive south, firefighters are gaining the upper hand on the fast-moving River Fire that broke out Wednesday near the town of Colfax and destroyed nearly 90 homes and other buildings. More than 5,000 people were ordered to evacuate in Placer and Nevada counties, state fire officials said.
The fire started July 13 and has destroyed at least 134 structures.
(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)