Most of the vegetation in the Dixie Fire has not burned in more than 40 years

Bill Gabbert
August 6, 2021

9:01 a.m. PDT August 6, 2021

History previous fires near Dixie Fire — History of fires in the vicinity of the Dixie Fire over the lat 23 years.

Most of area where the Dixie Fire has been burning has not been visited by fire within the last 40 years. There are roughly 100,000 acres of the 430,000-acre blaze that did burn in several fires between 2008 and 2012. This is the area in the center of the present footprint, that burned in the two to three weeks after it started July 14. Since then it has been spreading more quickly in very old vegetation.

To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Dixie Fire, including the most recent, click HERE.

Generally the predominate wind direction is from the southwest, but wind events can come from other directions that can cause major growth. Thursday night the Dixie Fire was 13 miles southwest of Susanville, population about 15,000, but there are a number of old burns near the city that could slow the fire if it makes it that far. Closest to Susanville are two large fires from 2020, Sheep and Hog. Between them is the 2016 Willard Fire.

Update 7:44 a.m. PDT August 7, 2012

Dixie Fire History before 1980 — Fire history in the area of the Dixie Fire before 1980. (Data from NIFC)

I added this map that shows the history of fires in the area of the Dixie Fire before 1980. It is unknown how complete this data from NIFC is, or how far back in time it goes.