Dixie Fire Update
Here’s the latest information from the U.S. Forest Service regarding the Dixie Fire.
As of Tuesday, Oct. 5 the fire has consumed 963,309 acres, is 94 percent contained and a total of 1,642 personnel are battling the fire.
There was a slight uptick in fire behavior Monday, Oct. 4 due to the increased southwesterly winds. Some firefighters were diverted from suppression repair work to patrol the fire’s perimeter and respond to any potential starts outside containment lines. No new starts were reported. In addition, relatively few hot spots were discovered during mop-up operations along the fire’s edge. The haze that settled over the area was primarily from smoke generated by the KNP Fire in southern California. It will be present again today. More obvious smoke continued to be visible from interior burning on the Dixie Fire, especially around Lassen Peak and Prospect Peak.
The fire is expected to be more active again today Tuesday, Oct. 5, due to critically dry fuels and another day of high winds. Firefighters will keep an eye out for any new ignitions outside the fire’s edge. If a new start happens or the fire spots outside the current perimeter, it could be hard to control due to winds that could push the fire through significantly dry fuels.
In addition to being prepared to engage any new starts or spot fires, crews will continue mop-up and suppression repair today. This includes deconstructing berms created by bulldozers during fire suppression. Not only does this work help return the area to its original condition, these berms can retain heat in some places that could re-ignite if not properly extinguished. Crews will also continue cutting down fire-damaged hazard trees that have been flagged as potential threats to firefighters, their equipment and the public.
Weather
Warm, dry, windy weather will continue today before cool, moist conditions move into the area Wednesday. Winds are expected to increase today to 15-18 mph with gusts around 30 mph. Temperatures are predicted to reach the 70s with humidity levels slightly higher than yesterday.
Closure
Portions of Lassen Volcanic National Park that were unaffected by the fire reopened yesterday. The park highway is open for 8 miles from the southwest entrance and 1 mile from the northwest entrance. The highway remains closed elsewhere in the park. For more information visit nps.gov/lavo/learn/nature/dixie-fire.htm
A closure order remains in effect for some areas of the Lassen National Forest and Plumas National Forest. For more information, visit inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/closures/7690/ or visit our interactive forest closure map at arcg.is/1re8my0
East Zone Information
For the East Zone update, visit inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7690/.
