Dixie Fire

The Dixie Fire was 95 percent contained as of Tuesday, and it’s burned an area larger than the state of Rhode Island.

Host Dave Schlom and producer Matt Fidler were the first two journalists allowed into Lassen Volcanic National Park after the Dixie Fire, the largest single fire in California history, burned through a large swath of the park in August 2021.

Those who had homes destroyed or damaged in the Dixie Fire have more time to sign up for government-sponsored debris removal than they might have thought.

In an ultimately uplifting conversation sprinkled with practical, data-based advice, Host Dave Schlom and Dr. Chad Hanson from the John Muir Project, talk about how nature's resiliency is baked into California's fire-prone landscapes.

Firefighters continue to battle more than a dozen major fires across the state. Cal Fire is urging residents to remember that fire season is far from over.

The Dixie Fire has been burning for nearly two months, and it continues to prompt evacuation orders for communities in its path. As of Wednesday morning, the Dixie Fire is threatening nearly 13,000 structures. Smoke from the fire and others burning in the North State has also caused hazardous air quality, putting residents at risk of respiratory illness, including COVID-19. More dry and warm weather is forecast through Labor Day weekend, but incident meteorologist Derek Williams said Wednesday there is a slight possibility of some relief next week.

The Dixie Fire has been burning for more than a month and thousands of people are still dealing with the impacts. Many towns that were threatened by the fire have been repopulated. But those going home are often returning to refrigerators filled with spoiled food, frequent power outages, and smoke-filled landscapes that officials say could last for weeks, if not months.

The federal judge who has been overseeing Pacific Gas & Electric Company’s criminal probation has been asking the utility about its possible role in starting the Dixie Fire. NSPR Reporter Andre Byik has been reviewing the judge’s questions and PG&E’s answers, the most recent of which came in court filings Wednesday.

The Dixie Fire is no longer the state’s top priority wildfire. This week, the Caldor fire surpassed the Dixie fire in terms of Cal Fire’s priorities for resources. Nevertheless, it continues to threaten communities throughout the North State.

The Dixie Fire has been breaking records since it sparked on July 13. It is now the first fire Cal Fire recorded to have burned from west to east across the Sierra Crest.