California Dixie Wildfire: Over 480,000 Acres Scorched in Blaze, More Than 10,000 People Across Eight Counties Evacuated; Here's What We Know So Far
Wildfires have wreaked havoc in United States' California. More than 11 forest fires are currently raging in the state. Over 12,000 people across eight California counties have reportedly been evacuated to safer locations due to these wildfires. The fire raging in Northern California is dubbed the Dixie Fire. Most of the evacuations are due to the Dixie Fire.
California, August 10: Wildfires have wreaked havoc in United States' California. More than 11 forest fires are currently raging in the state. Over 12,000 people across eight California counties have reportedly been evacuated to safer locations due to these wildfires. More than 8,500 firefighters are continuing to battle 11 major wildfires across the state. The fire raging in Northern California is dubbed the Dixie Fire. Most of the evacuations are due to the Dixie Fire. Over 9,500 people were forced to evacuate in Butte, Plumas, Lassen, and Tehama counties of the state due to the wildfire. It has grown to the second largest one in California's history.
The fire has expanded to 489,287 acres from about 274,000 in the past week. The fire surpassed the Mendocino Complex Fire, which scorched 459,123 acres (around 1,858 square km) in 2018. The fire started on July 13 and, within a month, has become the largest wildfire so far this year in the country. Only 21 percent of the b laze has been contained. Wildfire Engulfs Power Plant in Turkey, Prompts Urgent Evacuation.
The Dixie Fire had destroyed at least 404 structures. According to a report published in CNN, almost 39 percent of residents of Plumas County in California have been ordered to evacuate the area. On Sunday, the fire increased in activity due to hot and dry and windy conditions, California Forest Fire: Dixie Fire in Northern California Grows to Become Largest Wildfire in 2021.
According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), more than 6,000 wildfires have burned nearly 580,000 acres (around 2,347 square km) in California this year, according to the Cal Fire's 2021 Incident Archive. The city of Greenville in Plumas County was the most affected due to the Dixie Fire. The city was almost levelled as most of the businesses in the city's commercial center had ben collapsed or gutting in the fire.
Notably, there is an excessive heat condition in a large area of the northwestern US and parts of Northern California. According to Cal Fire, six of the top seven largest wildfires in the state's history, including the Dixie Fire, have occurred since 2020. More than 6,000 wildfires have burned nearly 580,000 acres in California this year, according to the Cal Fire's 2021 Incident Archive.
In Oregon, there are 16 forest fires raging, while in Montana and Idaho, there are 25 and 20, respectively, according to NIFC. In California's history, the Dexie fire is now only behind the massive 2020 August Complex Fire. Around 1,032,648 acres were burned in the August Complex Fire, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 10, 2021 11:16 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).