7:13 p.m. PDT August 4, 2021
Reporters in Greenville, California have documented what one of them calls “widespread destruction” after the Dixie Fire ran through the town Wednesday. Much of the damage occurred around 5 p.m.
One scanner report said some law enforcement and fire personnel had to evacuate the area for their own safety.
To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Dixie Fire, including the most recent, click HERE.
We just entered Greenville on Hwy 89 This video was taken from Bidwell & Ann St. I’m so sorry for the town of Greenville. #DixieFire pic.twitter.com/vtAiYpy1Dl
— SoCalFirePhoto (@SoCalFirePhoto) August 5, 2021
2:57 p.m. PDT August 4, 2021
Above: the Dixie Fire seen from four cameras at 2:54 p.m. PDT August 4, 2021.
7:53 a.m. PDT August 4, 2021
The Dixie Fire was very active throughout Tuesday night, with most of the movement during the night occurring on the northwest side. During a mapping flight at 7 a.m. Wednesday two large fingers of fire spread north to within less than a mile of Highway 89. At that time there was a small spot fire three-quarters of a mile north of the highway, more than a mile out in front of the main fire.
In that same general area it was also spreading northeast and at 7 a.m. Wednesday was very close to crossing Highway 89 a third time, in this case about 2.5 miles south of the junction of Highways 89 and 36 approximately 2 miles southwest of the south edge of the Chester Airport. Earlier it crossed Highway 89 and ran to Lake Almanor just south of the golf course at Lake Almanor West. It also crossed north of Greenville.
Tuesday night there was not much additional spread of the fire on the west side of Greenville. Firefighters apparently were effective, at least in the short term, of slowing the fire at the edge of the town. The west flank of that large finger of fire was still active about 4 miles east of Canyondam.
A Red Flag Warning will be in effect for the fire area Wednesday afternoon through Thursday evening. Winds are expected to be out of the southwest at 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph with single-digit relative humidities. These conditions could promote additional spread to the north and northeast, making it very difficult for firefighters to keep the fire south of Highways 36 and 89.
10:33 p.m. PDT August 3, 2021
Strong winds gusting to 20 mph and low relative humidity Tuesday caused the Dixie Fire to grow substantially with extreme fire behavior in two areas, prompting the Plumas County Sheriff’s office to issue a mandatory evacuation of Chester. The town had a population of 2,145 in 2019. Many other areas are also under evacuation orders.
A structure status map and evacuation maps for Tehama County and Butte and Plumas Counties are available.
Tuesday evening the incident management team reported the fire had burned 254,466 acres.
On the northeast side of the fire it made a big run to the north in the Round Valley Reservoir area, crossing Long Valley Road and continued moving north on the west side of Greenville. A 7:30 p.m. mapping flight on Tuesday showed that it crossed Highway 89 about two miles north of the community. Engines, hand crews, dozers, and aircraft worked to keep the fire out of the town.
Fire trains are working to protect railway structures with water and retardant.
The Dixie Fire crossed Highway 89 in a second location nearly reaching the shore of Lake Almanor between the golf course at Lake Almanor West and Prattville.
On the northwest side Monday the fire twice spotted across the burning operation firefighters conducted several days ago along Humboldt Road. On the maps it appeared that the completed burn strip was about 150 to 300 feet wide, but in some areas was not yet tied in with the main fire. The larger of the two spots grew to over 1,000 acres Monday, and on Tuesday increased in size and had spread to within a quarter mile of Highway 36 during the 7:30 p.m. mapping flight.
A Red Flag Warning is in effect for the fire area beginning Wednesday afternoon due to gusty winds and low humidity.
The Incident Management Teams reports that 45 structures and 22 minor structures have been destroyed. There have been no reported injuries or fatalities.
Resources assigned to the fire Tuesday evening included 373 engines, 103 water tenders, 20 helicopters, 81 hand crews, and 70 dozers for a total of 4,927 personnel, a reduction of 241 personnel in 24 hours.
