Dixie Fire update Sunday: Spot fires and wind fuel wildfire to 893,852 acres, 56 percent contained
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Sun, 09/05/2021 - 9:34am
Shifting winds and spot fires made for extreme fire behavior Saturday on the eastern flank of the Dixie Fire near Susanville. As of Sunday morning the fire is 893,852 acres and 56 percent contained, according Cal Fire.
Hot and dry weather is expected to persist Sunday, making for another challenging day for firefighters who are facing dry fuel conditions and shifting winds as they build containment lines. There are 3,803 firefighters on the fire. A firefighter assigned to the Dixie incident died on Sept. 2, due to an illness, according to InciWeb.
In its Sunday morning report, Cal Fire says its firefighting priority areas include the Lassen and Shasta sectors, Old Station and surrounding communities, the Highway 395 area including Janesville, Milford and Herlong Junction as well as Lake Davis and the Grizzly Creek area east of the escarpment. The communities of Greenhorn, Cromberg and Davis Lake also at risk.
For Sunday, firefighters will continue to establish direct and indirect containment lines south of Old Station. Resources will continue to establish containment lines to hold the Hwy 44 corridor and monitor for spots across the highway, while protecting critical fiber optic infrastructure. Complete contingency lines both north and south of Janesville and Milford respectively.
Cal Fire notes the following:
The Dixie Fire was very active active Saturday with extreme fire behavior observed in the Coyote Hills, Horton Ridge, and the Ross Canyon areas. Shifting winds challenged firefighters and the fire progressed southeast into very dry and dense forest fuels.
Spot fires established in Ross Canyon and off Horton Ridge threatening Dixie Valley, where engine and hand-crews protected structures by removing brush, built indirect fire line, and installed hose lays and sprinkler systems. Aircraft assisted ground crews with extensive retardant and water drops.
Four scooper aircraft spent most of yesterday afternoon scooping water from Frenchman Lake and dropping it on the fire backing down the escarpment above Highway 395, while helicopters on the south end worked to keep the fire confined to the top of the escarpment.
Air and ground crews worked closely with firefighters from the West Zone to reinforce fire lines on the north flank, while on the south flank, firefighters steered the fire towards the of the already blackened terrain in the Sugar Fire on the Beckwourth Complex, a fire that occurred earlier this summer.
On Turner Ridge, crews are securing the line and mopping up heat with water, gradually working from the line into the fire’s interior. Resources continue to hold and improve dozer and hand line stretching from Clover Valley to the east side of Lake Davis, and patrol and monitor the long and now mostly cold line on Grizzly Ridge. South of Taylorsville, helicopters helped to hold the fire in Devil’s Punchbowl as firefighters improved the line already built in the very steep terrain north and south of Montgomery Creek. Structure protection continued overnight within Clover Valley, Dixie Valley, Genesee, Taylorsville, Greenhorn, and Cromberg.
West Zone: The fire continues to burn out in the heavy material and was moderated by the smoke settling over the fire area. Active fire was limited to ground fuels, consisting of backing and flanking fire. Interior pockets continue to burn through the night, most are well interior of the perimeter. The diminishing humidity recovery aided in consumption of the heavier fuels. The southeast flank of the fire continues to burn in multiple directions due to varying winds.
Crews continue to fight fire aggressively, construct and reinforce control lines, and protect structures. Mop up efforts have begun where appropriate. Light downslope and drainage wind this morning will transitions to a light west southwest wind along ridgetops this afternoon with lighter terrain driven winds in the sheltered valleys.
A warming trend continues over the area with highs in the 80’s to low 90’s in the valleys as high pressure takes hold over the area. Heavy smoke will continue to hamper visibility throughout the day as it is trapped under high pressure. The smoke will be in the fire area longer and may limit air operations throughout the day.
The Dixie Fire started on July 13. The fire is burning on the Plumas National Forest, Lassen National Forest, Lassen Volcanic National Park, and in five counties: Butte, Lassen, Plumas, Shasta and Tehama. The cause is under investigation.
