The Dixie Fire was 95 percent contained as of Tuesday, and it’s burned an area larger than the state of Rhode Island.
In a video update this week, Tom DeMeo, lead resource adviser on the East Zone of the Dixie Fire, said firefighters continue to work on suppression repair — that’s the work done to repair damage caused by fighting the fire.
“A big thing we do is restore lines made by bulldozers to help fight the fire,” DeMeo said. “And so we push back the soil and we create ditches across the lines, particularly in steep areas, called water bars.”
DeMeo said advisers are also working with tribal liaisons to identify cultural and historical concerns.
“Native Americans have been living here for thousands of years, and their work and their living is evidenced across the landscape,” he said.
Fire officials estimate full containment of the fire by the end of October. They add the fire’s containment percentage is expected to rise in the coming days because of widespread rain.
Officials say suppression repair work is expected to continue through the next year.
