Dixie fire jumps to nearly 8,000 acres, but firefighters gaining ground
Crews are aided by previous Camp fire containment lines
A fire burning near the footprint of the Camp fire in Butte County expanded again Friday, but fire officials were confident that nearby populated areas remained largely protected from its reach.
The Dixie fire — which broke out Tuesday about 10 miles north of Paradise — had jumped to nearly 8,000 acres by Friday, spreading up steep canyons and burning through camping grounds and hiking trails.
Communities to the fire’s southwest, however, appeared to be protected from the blaze for the time being — in part thanks to previous containment lines crews established three years ago as they fought the devastating Camp fire, which killed 85 people and ravaged Paradise and other surrounding towns.
In some spots along the burn scar, firefighters were reinforcing old lines rather than building entirely anew, said Kim McGuire, public information officer with Cal Fire. The fire was about 7% contained Friday.
“It really helps us to have to do less work in those particular areas, so it’s a great thing to be able to use and continue their efforts,” McGuire said. “We feel really confident on that southwestern area.”
“We do feel a little lucky,” she added.
Still, some evacuation orders and warnings remained in effect in both Butte and Plumas counties. Mandatory evacuations were underway in Plumas’ High Lakes area and for both sides of Highway 70 in the area of Rock Creek, Storrie and Tobin. A warning was in place for both sides of Highway 70 from Tobin east to Belden and Caribou.
Wind pushed the flames north throughout the week, prompting crews to plan on securing the Chambers Peak and Rogers Flat areas over the weekend, McGuire said. They were bracing for steep uphill hikes, large fallen trees and the exhaustion from firefighting in 100-degree weather.
About 1,000 personnel were on the scene Friday, with more expected to fan into the High Lakes and Tobin areas as more crews arrive over the coming days.
It wasn’t clear how the fire ignited Tuesday at Dixie Road and Camp Creek Road. Several Pacific Gas & Electric transmission lines run through the area, including the permanently de-energized Caribou-Palermo line that sparked the Camp fire in the same Feather River Canyon area. PG&E had not filed a report to the California Public Utilities Commission, required after serious electrical incidents, as of Friday.
Cal Fire urged nearby residents to pack ready-togo bags and keep checking evacuation updates from local sheriff’s offices.
“We really want to encourage those communities that have received evacuation warnings and orders to get out,” McGuire said. “It gets oversaid, but we can’t emphasize it enough.”