‘Unprecedented Fire Behavior’ Seen as California Blazes Grow to Endanger Major Towns

Extremely dry and windy conditions in the American West have led to the explosive growth of several wildfires in the last few days, which have quickly grown and spread enough to endanger major area towns. More than 100 wildfires are burning in the region.

Cal Fire warned in a Wednesday update that the Caldor Fire, which was sparked on Saturday, had experienced “unprecedented fire behavior and growth due to extremely dry fuels pushed by the south west winds,” tripling in size overnight from Monday into Tuesday and swelling to a conflagration consuming some 53,000 acres.

California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Tuesday in El Dorado County, which is downwind of the fire, after it destroyed the town of Grizzly Flats, which had been home to 1,200 people.

#SATELLITE SPOTLIGHT: @NOAA's #GOES17🛰️ was tracking the explosive growth of the #CaldorFire last evening, seen here burning east of Sacramento, California. The #wildfire has grown to nearly 23,000 acres and thousands of people have been forced to evacuate. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/9LD0YI6mck

— NOAA Satellites - Public Affairs (@NOAASatellitePA) August 18, 2021

A police warning directed residents “to be alert and be ready to evacuate” at a moment’s notice, and the Governor's Office of Emergency Services reported Wednesday afternoon that more than 31,000 people had been directed to evacuate ahead of the Caldor Fire.

Meanwhile, about 100 miles to the north, the Dixie Fire has consumed a colossal amount of land since starting on July 13, likely due to a spark from Pacific Gas & Electric equipment. On Wednesday the blaze had consumed 635,728 acres, or 940 square miles, and was advancing on the town of Susanville, the county seat of Lassen County. The town is home to 18,000 residents and 6,000 prisoners incarcerated at two area prisons.

Burned cars are seen next to Fred Batten's destroyed property after the Caldor Fire overran the El Dorado County town of Grizzly Flats, California, U.S., August 18, 2021.

© REUTERS / FRED GREAVES

The powerful and dry Diablo Wind, driven by dry, sinking air blasting its way down the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains, can reach hurricane-like speeds and are helping to fan California’s streak of colossal wildfires. With the winds showing no sign of ending anytime soon, PG&E has begun pre-emptively shutting off electricity on many power lines judged to be in danger, depriving more than 50,000 customers of power.

In June 2020, the company admitted to having caused the Camp Fire, a 2018 blaze that killed 85 people and started not far from where the Dixie Fire began. It was the deadliest fire in California history. PG&E paid a $3.48 million penalty and was required to set up a trust to provide around $13.5 billion in compensation to victims of the Camp Fire and other wildfires dating back to 2015.