Massive California Megafire Threatens To Overwhelm Firefighters

In recent years California has been plagued by horrific fires. Unfortunately, this fire season is not off to a very good start with an intense fire in Butte and Plumas Counties as well as in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest.

Dixie Fire

Northern California is no stranger to massive blazes in fire season. Currently, the Dixie Fire has torched over 100,000 acres in Butte and Plumas counties. It has demolished eight structures and is threatening 1,500 additional to the east in Lake Almanor.

The wildfire is only at 17% containment. According to wildfire experts the Califorina fires swift takeover and quick burn can be credited to the heat and dry vegetation.

The Dixie Fire has also been fueled by winds and rough terrain. According to CAL FIRE Butte County spokesman Rick Carhart, the valleys, peaks, and canyons are making it difficult to gain control over the flames.

“There are fingers of fire that are burning, so it’s not the whole fire front moving together. With more flame-front out there, there’s more ability for it to grow.”

Rick Carhart

Poor Conditions & Rough Terrain

Clear skies only make things worse, according to Carhart. Over 500 personnel have been brought in from other states. Firefighters have joined the fight from Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Florida bringing the total to 3,900 firefighters.

Lake Almanor has evacuation orders for the west shore. Other areas with evacuation orders are Butterfly Valley, Round Valley Reservoir and Long Valley, Chester and Lake Almanor Peninsula.

According to the California Department of Transportation, some portions of Highway 89 are closed and parts of Bucks Lake Road. CAL FIRE operations chief Tony Brownell said that they are dealing with 40-foot flames and spot fires that jump lines easily.

“If conditions hold, we’ve got a great probability of success up here. Mother Nature gets a vote. If the wind comes back up, we get spots over the line.”

Tony Brownell

Tamarack Fire

The fire burning along the California- Nevada state line is up to 50,000 acres and growing with only 4% containment. Firefighters are working to keep the flames away from the Spring Valley and Holbrook Highlans communities.

Around 1,200 firefighters are battling the blaze with ground crews, tankers, and helicopters. The ground there is proving to be difficult with smoke and wind causing serious problems.

Air conditions across the area have moved to "very unhealthy."

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9 comments on “Massive California Megafire Threatens To Overwhelm Firefighters”

  1. State policies wont allow removing deadwood & brush in forests thus these wildfires & then add PG&E & SCE power lines deadly mix alone Thanks to Newsom

    1. When I was growing up, we had CCC-California Conservation Corp-teenagers that volunteered to clear the under brush! Once in a while, we would have a forest fire, quickly contained! Sadly, that was when we were a REPUBLICAN state!

  2. My thoughts and prayers are with ALL the brave people fighting the fires!!
    These individuals are helping people that they probably don't even know..... that's the True definition of HEROES.... Stay Safe and good luck in your herculean task 🙏 👍!!!!

  3. I was a firefighter for 291/2 years in a metropolitan city, we also had wild lands to protect. The Major problem is there Forrests and local land management. In Europe they very seldom have wild fires on the scale we do.
    Solution in europe they have foresters and teams to ensure a kind of fire prevention by keeping forrests clear of brush and manage the growth of problems.
    Here we have a huge community od drones on the dole. Make them the work force and pay then don't just give them a check and let them bring beer on the front porch.

  4. Since when? About the seventies? My husband used to work for the government, and it was his job every year to use a CAT to clear all underbrush in the forests in a specified area. They have very few fires back then, and none that were as massive as the ones today. Back then, they called the undergrowth SLASH. They cleared dead grass, broken limbs, fallen trees, anything that would feed a fire. I have no idea why they stopped, probably a Democrat solution to save money. Since that time, it has cost triple that much, not to mention insurance for home, to contain the fires fed by SLASH. What is wrong with these people? They had a solution that worked and ended it. As far as I know, most don't even have watchtowers anymore.

  5. "In 'recent years'(?) California has been plagued by horrific fires!" As a Marine I was stationed in Santa Ana and was one of 200 Marine volunteers to help fight fires in the mountains surrounding LA. The year was1961. We were there to make sure there were no flare ups once the real fire fighters did their work. The only difference between then and now is the number of homes in the hills and the lack of interest in preventing fires by clearing undergrowth!!

  6. Change the laws and regulations to allow gathering of dead wood in forests to take away fuels for these fires

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