California’s Dixie fire is now the second-largest in the state’s history, having scorched more than 463,000 acres of land in Northern California.
According to data (pdf) from Cal Fire, the blaze—which destroyed the small town of Greenville—is second behind the Complex fire in August 2020.
No deaths have been reported, but thousands of locals were forced to leave their homes.
“Fire activity is expected to decrease through the morning hours. Smoke shading from fires in the region will reduce fire intensity, increasing the potential for crews to make headway on building containment lines,” fire officials said in a statement (pdf) on Aug. 8.
Around 400 structures have been destroyed by the fire so far, the statement added, while more than 13,800 others are currently being threatened.
Relatively cooler temperatures and higher humidity on Saturday slowed the Dixie Fire, although the fire is only 21 percent contained, as attention shifted to the cause of the fire.
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), a California-based utility company that has been faulted for previous wildfires in the state, admitted that its equipment may have been linked to Dixie Fire.
U.S. District Judge William Alsup ordered PG&E to submit its own drone surveillance, a description of the conditions and vegetation in the area, and its possible involvement in triggering the Fly Fire—which merged into the Dixie Fire.
“PG&E’s responses will not be deemed as an admission by PG&E that it caused any fire, but they will serve as a starting point for discussion,” Alsup wrote on Friday.
A PG&E spokesperson told news outlets on Saturday that the utility was aware of the court’s orders and will respond by the deadline Alsup set.
Democrats, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, blamed the climate for the fire. Previously, some scientists and President Donald Trump have said that decades of mismanagement on behalf of California’s forestry management agency is at least partially to blame.
