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
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.
On Friday a layer of smoke partially shaded the fire, slowing the spread
9:41 a.m. PDT Aug. 7, 2021
Map of the Dixie Fire at 11:50 p.m. PDT Aug. 7, 2021. Other fires that have occurred since 1980 are also shown. To see the names of some of the fires not labeled, click here.
Environmental conditions on Friday and Friday night resulted in the Dixie Fire, 13 miles northeast of Paradise, California, being much more subdued than we had seen in the previous two days. Smoke from this fire and others in Northern California was trapped by an inversion and provided partial shade. It did not rise, disperse, or be transported into other states. Smoke was thick enough to keep temperatures cooler and humidities higher than earlier this week. It persisted into Friday night causing better humidity recovery, rising to 35 to 65 percent.
To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Dixie Fire, including the most recent, click HERE.
The forecast for Saturday calls for similar weather conditions. The fire will still be partially shaded by smoke remaining in the area and the winds are expected to be light.
Satellite photo, smoke in Northern California at 9:11 a.m. PDT Aug. 7, 2021.
The northernmost portion of the Dixie Fire has entered Lassen National Park and is expected to continue burning north through the park. The northeastern section has burned into the 2007 Moonlight Fire and Friday night was very close to the 2020 Sheep Fire and may have burned into it by Saturday morning.
The number of documented destroyed structures has increased to 184, plus another 84 described as minor structures. The Incident Management Teams are still reporting no injuries or fatalities to firefighters or civilians, however some people that were in burned over communities are unaccounted for.
Mapping Friday night determined the fire had burned approximately 446,000 acres, an increase of about 16,000 acres in 24 hours, much less than the growth of 110,000 acres Thursday.
Two Type 1 Incident Management Teams, CAL FIRE Team 1 and California Team 4, are assigned to the fire which has been divided into two zones, East and West.
Resources assigned to the fire Friday evening included 384 fire engines, 124 water tenders, 27 helicopters, 87 hand crews, and 107 dozers for a total of 5,118 personnel. The estimated cost of suppressing the fire so far is $171,000,000.
River Fire map at 7:20 p.m. PDT Aug 4, 2021. The yellow areas represent intense heat when the fire was mapped.
Fire officials said in a briefing Wednesday evening that the River Fire west of Colfax, California had damaged or destroyed approximately 35 to 40 structures, but that number is preliminary and could change. Approximately 4,000 structures were threatened as of Wednesday evening.
The fire started at about 2 p.m. Wednesday and had spread for more than four miles when it was mapped at 7:20 p.m. that night. (see map above) Thursday morning CAL FIRE was calling it 2,400 acres.
The south end of the fire generally followed the Bear River drainage which comes out of Rollins Reservoir, then continued to the north-northeast as it spread to the Chicago Park area on Highway 174.
In an 8 p.m. briefing on Wednesday law enforcement officials said 2,400 people were under an evacuation order in Placer County. There were 4,200 under either evacuation orders or warnings in Nevada County.
The fire was pushed Wednesday afternoon by 5 to 8 mph winds gusting at 12 to 17 mph out of the south, southwest, and west while the humidity was in the teens and the temperature 95 degrees. The very dry fuels were receptive to burning embers that started numerous spot fires which burned together resulting in “area ignition”, as described in a briefing Wednesday evening.
Similar to Wednesday, on Thursday the Colfax area is surrounded by, but not officially within, a Red Flag Warning. The forecast for Thursday is for 85 degrees, 14 percent RH, and 8 to 10 mph southwest winds. On Friday it will be warmer (95 degrees) and drier with 9 mph winds out of the west.
Satellite photo, smoke from California fires at 7:01 p.m. PDT Aug 4, 2021.
Threat is modified due to a change in wind direction
7:30 p.m. PDT, Aug 5, 2021
Dixie Fire map, north side, 3:15 p.m. PDT Aug 5, 2021. The yellow shaded areas represent extreme heat; however, not all areas with extreme heat are identified as such.
The spread of the Dixie Fire Thursday was made more complex and unpredictable by the passage of a weather trough. It hit the fire area in the afternoon and brought a significant change in the wind, shifting it from the south or southwest to come out of the west or west-northwest. This may not seem like a huge difference, but wind is the primary factor affecting the direction of spread of a vegetation fire. A 90-degree change in wind direction can turn the flank of a fire into the head. Next to the heel or back of a fire, the flank can sometimes be a somewhat safe place from which to attack a fire, unless it burning in extremely dry vegetation pushed by strong winds. (Which is often the case over the last several years.)
To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Dixie Fire, including the most recent, click HERE.
Radar that was detecting smoke showed the wind shift in real time Thursday afternoon.
Wind shift occurring now on #DixieFire as trough moves overhead, putting additional towns in danger. Plume shift visible from KDAX radar. pic.twitter.com/BLMlWknblV
Firefighters who were on the right flank of the Dixie Fire today were no doubt warned by their Incident Meteorologist to expect the east flank Thursday afternoon to become the head of the fire, moving east quickly in their direction pushed by strong winds.
Westwood is a community of about 1,600 residents on Highway 36, 11 miles north of Greenville and 11 miles east of Chester. If the fire moves north from Greenville it will be threatened, and, if it moves east from Chester, it will be threatened.
By 3:15 p.m. Thursday the Dixie Fire, after destroying many of the structures in Greenville, had continued to spread 6 miles further north from the town. With long range spotting it reached Mountain Meadows Reservoir. If it finds a way around it, another 5 miles with a south or southwest wind and it could be at Westwood.
Another danger to Westwood is the northwest portion of the fire that burned over the Chester airport Wednesday and continued north during the night and Thursday, chewing through another 14 miles of forests. It looks like those 14 miles of the east flank could become a 14-mile wide head fire at least for a short time if the forecast pans out as expected.
The prediction for the Westwood area Thursday was for the winds to change direction in the afternoon to come out of the west at 13 mph with 21 mph gusts. The good news is the period of strong winds will be brief. At 8 p.m. it should decrease to 6 mph but still be from the west, and by 11 p.m. slow to 2 mph.
Satellite photo showing smoke from six large fires
5:55 p.m. PDT August 4, 2021
Satellite photo, fires in Northern California, 4:21 p.m. PDT Aug 4, 2021.
Wednesday afternoon the GOES 17 satellite could easily photograph smoke from six large wildfires in Northern California:
Monument Fire, on the Shasta-Trinity NF was 15,000 acres Wednesday morning, ½ mile west of Big Bar along Highway 299 and east of Cedar Flat. It is threatening Big Bar, Del Loma, Big Flat, and Burnt Ranch.
McFarland Fire on the Shasta-Trinity NF Wednesday morning was 20,005 acres. Evacuation orders are in place for the community of Wildwood.
River Complex on the Klamath NF consists of approximately 22 fires. Of these, 6 have been contained and are in patrol status. Of those that are active, most are ½ to 20 acres. The largest are Haypress at 5,500 acres, Cronan at 450 acres, and Summer at 2,500 acres, for a total of 8,487 acres.
Antelope Fire, approximately 2,400 acres, Klamath NF, was very active Wednesday afternoon with fire in the upper tree canopy. Spot fires have been observed 1/2 mile ahead of the main fire. Wednesday afternoon air resources could not assist firefighters on the ground due to poor visibility. It is moving north and impacting Tennant and Fish Camp.
Dixie Fire, on the Lassen NF, Plumas NF, and CAL FIRE. It was very active Tuesday night and Wednesday afternoon and has burned approximately 274,139 acres, threatening several communities, including Chester and Greenville. It has crossed Highway 89 in multiple locations and Wednesday morning was close to crossing Highway 36.
River Fire near Colfax, California about 40 miles northeast of Sacramento.
River Fire map, showing heat detected by a satellite at 2:30 p.m. PDT Aug 4, 2021, about half an hour after it was reported.
The map shows heat on the River Fire detected by a satellite at 2:30 p.m. PDT August 4, 2021.
CAL FIRE said that as of 7:25 p.m. Wednesday it had burned 1,400 acres.
6:16 p.m. PDT August 4, 2021
The River Fire in Placer and Nevada Counties 40 miles northeast of Sacramento was estimated at 1,000 acres at 5:45 Wednesday afternoon.
To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the River Fire, including the most recent, click HERE.
This is a dangerous fire and is spreading very rapidly to the north and northeast. Residents that feel uncomfortable should not wait for an evacuation order — officials may not have time to make all of the necessary notifications during this very dynamic event.
From the Placer County Sheriff’s Office (time uncertain, but it was found on the Sheriff’s Facebook page at 6:12 p.m. local time)
**Colfax area EVACUATION Order**
Fire crews are battling a fire near Colfax. There is an EVACUATION ORDER in place for the town of Colfax and the area starting at the Bear River Campground and extending on both sides of Milk Ranch Road to Tokyana Road; West of the railroad tracks to the river; From Mt Howell Rd north to Rollins lake. Gather your essentials and leave the area safely.
Residences that have been evacuated can go to the Auburn Veterans Memorial Hall at 100 East Street in Auburn.
** A secondary evacuation site is yet to be determined**
4:22 p.m. PDT August 4, 2021
River Fire, looking east-southeast from Wolf Mtn at 4:16 p.m. PDT Aug 4, 2021.
Updated at 4:07 p.m. PDT August 4, 2021
River Fire as seen from the Howell Mtn camera, looking north at 3:25 p.m. PDT Aug 4, 2021.
A fire that broke out Wednesday afternoon near Colfax, California is already prompting evacuations. The River Fire reported near the Bear River Campground is burning west of Interstate 80 on both sides of the Bear River in both Placer and Nevada Counties.
Colfax is on Interstate 80 about 40 air miles northeast of Sacramento.
At 3:40 p.m. CAL FIRE reported it had burned approximately 100 acres and is north of Applegate.
At least two helicopters, six air tankers, and one very large air tanker have been working the fire, reloading at Grass Valley and Sacramento McClellan.
The Placer County Sheriff’s Office ordered an evacuation for the area starting at the Bear River Campground and extending on both sides of Milk Ranch Road to Tokyana Road, Moorhaven Way, Placer Hills Road, Ben Taylor Road and Hillcrest Boulevard.
The fire is very close to but not within locations covered by a Red Flag Warning Wednesday and Thursday. At 3:50 p.m Wednesday the nearby PG377 weather station on Dog Ranch Road recorded 93 degrees, 17 percent RH, and 7 mph winds out of the southwest gusting to 16 mph. The forecast for Wednesday night is for the wind direction to shift to the southeast and the RH to increase to 35 percent. On Thursday it will be cooler, 85 degrees, with 15 percent RH and 6 to 10 mph winds out of the south and southwest.
