Dixie Fire Now Largest Single Wildfire in State History; 8 Missing in Plumas County
GREENVILLE (CBS SF/AP) -- Fueled by strong winds and bone-dry vegetation, the Dixie Fire grew to become the largest single wildfire in California history. People living in the scenic forestlands of Northern California are facing a weekend of fear as it threatens to reduce thousands of homes to ashes.
Firefighters waged an overnight battle with the fiery surge along the northern and eastern fronts of the massive blaze early Saturday as it grew to 446,723 acres and containment dropped to 21 percent. The Dixie Fire, named for the road where it started, now spans an area of 698 square miles.
Meanwhile, the Plumas County Sheriff's Department was searching for eight local residents who are listed as missing, five of those in the fire-ravaged community of Greenville.
The shifting weather conditions over the last 72 hours have challenged the small army of more than 5,000 firefighters battling the blaze. The fire grew by 110 square miles between Thursday night and Friday morning. Containment fell from 35 percent to 21 percent by Saturday morning because of the fire's growth and better aerial mapping.
To the north, the wall of flames has advanced into the Lassen Volcanic National Park, forcing rangers to empty the popular summer vacation destination and shutter its gates.
In his Saturday morning update, West Zone Operations Chief Mike Wink said at least 38 structures were damaged or destroyed in Warner Valley near the national forest.
Wink also said crews have not been able to determine the condition of the historic Mt. Harkness fire lookout inside the park after flames rolled through that area.
To the east, the "Moonlight Finger" -- fueled by spot fires -- continued to rip through the rugged region's tinder-dry timber and brush. Fire lines were being reenforced around Dyer Mountain and its vital public safety communication towers on the east side of Lake Almanor.
The fire -- which started on July 13 in Feather River Canyon north of Sacramento -- has left in its wake a path of devastation including the turning the communities of Greenville and Canyondam into smoldering piles of rubble.
"I've been fighting fire for 25 years and this is the most extreme fire behavior I've ever been a part of," said Chico firefighter Mike Watner.
On Friday, the Plumas County Sheriff posted a list of those missing.
They were:
- Danny Sczenski of Greenville
- Jesus AND Ella Gursasola of Greenville
- Matthew Henley of Greenville
- Glen Gallagher of Greenville
- Sally AND Harold Brown of Crescent Mills
- Donna Shelton of Chester
No injuries or deaths have been reported but the fire has left many residents stunned by its destructive force.
Raw Video: Drive Through Of Greenville Devastation
Charlene Mays kept her gas station in Chester open as long as she could, telling weary firefighters not to apologize for the trail of ash their boots left on the floor. But when the small town on the northwest shore of Lake Almanor lost power, Mays decided it was time for her to leave.
ALSO READ: How To Help Victims Of Dixie Fire
She ran home to grab a box of valuables, including her husband's class ring and some jewelry. The smoke was so thick it was hard to breathe. Chunks of ash broke apart as they hit the ground, making a sound like broken glass.
That was two days ago. Since then, Mays has been living in the parking lot of Lassen College in Susanville. Her husband stayed behind to maintain some water tanks firefighters were using. It's just her, a miniature pinscher chihuahua named Jedidiah and a pit bull named Bear.
Her home was still standing on Friday but her fate was bound with the direction of the wind. She wasn't alone.
"I've got probably 30 of my regular customers right here," she said.
Fellow Chester resident Joe Waterman was thankful to firefighters who turned the fire away from the community. The mill on the outside of town suffered damage and as well as some outlaying structures.
"We were fortunate," he said. "More fortunate than some in our community. Not a ton of structure loss and not a lot of damage like that, but this is going to leave an imprint in our in our area around the lake for sometime."
Plumas County Sheriff Todd Johns, who grew up in the region, said the Dixie Fire has destroyed "well over 100 homes" and was a continuing threat to hundreds of others.
Weather in the fire region was expected to have higher humidity and calmer winds Saturday with temperatures topping 90 degrees Fahrenheit instead of the 40-mph gusts and triple-digit highs recorded earlier in the week.
- Cal Fire Incident Report: Evacuations, Maps, Road Closures
- Evacuation Maps: Butte, Plumas County | Lassen County | Tehama County
- County Websites: Butte County | Plumas County | Lassen County | Tehama County
California's fire season is on track to surpass last year's season, which was the worst fire season in recent recorded state history. Since the start of the year, more than 6,000 blazes have destroyed more than 1,260 square miles of land — more than triple the losses for the same period in 2020, according to state fire figures.
© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report
