Dixie Fire update Sunday: Containment grows, structure protections in place near hot spots
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Sun, 09/12/2021 - 8:54am
Firefighters continued to build containment lines and maintain structure protections around the eastern flank of the Dixie Fire near Susanville and towns along Highway 395 on Saturday and overnight as the weather is expected to warm again and the recent rainfall dries up. As of Sunday morning, the fire was mapped at 960,213 acres and 65 percent contained.
According to the Cal Fire morning report for Sunday, firefighters are patrolling and mopping up the larger and heavier fuels like stumps and logs that have held heat and could spread to unburned areas within the fire. On Saturday, firefighters surveyed and reinforced containment lines around the fire and prepared for an expected increase in fire activity as the weather warms and dries.
Here is the Cal Fire Sunday morning report:
On many portions of the perimeter, firefighters have mopped up 100-200 feet inside the fire line. Firefighters were very active in the Grizzly Peak area, building fire line directly against the fire’s edge and mopping up to reinforce the line. In the Dixie Mountain area, crews worked on containment line from the peak into Dixie Valley. East of Milford, crews maintained direct and indirect containment lines on the northwest flanks to prevent fire from again impacting that community and Highway 395.
On the southeast portion of the fire crews achieved additional containment along Turner Ridge against the Walker Fire footprint, as well as along the Sugar Fire footprint bordering Dixie Mountain State Game Refuge. Firefighters deepened and improved fire line along the Sugar Fire footprint north to Highway 395, and carefully searched for hot areas and mopped up in the 30,000-acre Janesville spot fire.
Today, firefighters will work to improve Road 177 and Beckwourth-Genesee Road as secondary control lines, and strengthen their work on direct attack in the rugged Devil's Punchbowl. Maintaining containment, patrol, mop-up, and backhaul of equipment on western and central divisions will take place around the cooler areas of the fire perimeter. Structure protection remains in place within Genesee, Dixie Valley, Lake Davis area, Milford, and Taylorsville. On all areas of the fire, the objective is to secure the perimeter as rapidly and thoroughly as possible in anticipation of drying and warming weather, and to prepare firefighters and equipment to serve elsewhere as needed.
Dixie Fire West Zone: The overnight weather and humidity helped moderate the fire. Winds were calm with clear skies and quiet weather. With temperatures dropping in the 30’s and humidity rising to 60% to 70%, fire activity was minimal with some creeping and smoldering materials. Firefighters continued to monitor, patrol, and mop-up all areas of the fire throughout the night.
Although battling steep and rugged terrain in some parts of the fire, there were no reports of spot fires over the containment lines. During the day, firefighters will concentrate on building containment lines on the northern part of the fire as well as reinforce containment lines throughout the rest of the fire. Potential still exists for spots to become established outside of the control lines.
Weather is expected to remain calm going through the week with humidity levels slowly dropping again as the atmosphere dries out. However, temperatures will remain cooler through the week with wind gusts no more than 20 mph in the afternoons. Residents are urged to stay vigilant to changing weather and fire behavior. Smoke will be seen in the fire areas and surrounding communities for many days. Damage assessment is ongoing, and the threatened structures count may change depending on the fire status.
The Dixie Fire started on July 13 and is 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 drought, combined with hot weather, strong winds, and exceptionally dry vegetation, has resulted in very active fire behavior.
As of Sunday the fire, since it began, has destroyed 1,329 homes and businesses and damaged 95 other structures. One fatality was reported. Full containment is expected Sept. 30, according to InciWeb.
