Dixie Fire: Thousands flee flames as California fire now second-worst in state history
- The blaze, which on Saturday left three firefighters injured, remained 21 per cent contained on Sunday
- Thousands of residents have fled the area, many finding temporary housing or living in tents, often unsure whether their homes have survived
The monstrous Dixie Fire in northern California continued to grow overnight, making it the second-largest fire in state history as thousands of people continued to flee advancing flames, authorities said on Sunday.
As of early Sunday it had destroyed 463,477 acres (187,562 hectares), up from the previous day’s 447,723 acres. It now covers an area larger than Los Angeles and roughly the size of the Hawaiian island of Maui.
The Dixie blaze is the largest active wild fire in the United States, but one of only 11 major wildfires in California.
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Over the weekend it surpassed the 2018 Mendocino Complex Fire to make it the second-worst fire in state history, the authorities said.
The blaze, which on Saturday left three firefighters injured, remained 21 per cent contained on Sunday, unchanged from the day before, the CalFire website reported.
Crews estimate the fire, which began on July 13, will not finally be extinguished before August 20.
Weak winds and higher humidity were providing some succour to firefighters, but they are bracing for higher temperatures expected to exceed 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) by midweek.
Thousands of residents have fled the area, many finding temporary housing – even living in tents – in the area, often unsure whether their homes have survived.