New wildfire north of Tahoe becomes California’s largest this season. Where is it burning?
The Beckwourth Complex, a duo of fires on the eastern edge of the Plumas National Forest, doubled in size Friday to surpass the Lava Fire as California’s largest this year.
As of Saturday morning, the complex, 45 miles north of Lake Tahoe, spans 54,809 acres, or 85 square miles, and is 8% contained. The complex contains the Dotta Fire, which started June 30, and the Sugar Fire, which started July 2, both due to lightning strikes.
LATEST ON FIRES: Updates on four fires burning in Northern California
The fires were thought to be under control early in the week, with containment expected by July 8. But high temperatures and high wind conditions caused the Sugar Fire to expand thousands of acres beyond original fire lines.
The Sugar Fire grew nearly eight times in size on Thursday, and increased by 10,000 acres on Thursday afternoon. The blaze flared up due to wind Thursday and Friday afternoon, and had expanded out of control until around 4 a.m. Friday, said Mike Ferris, a spokesman for the California Interagency Incident Management Team. Containment for the complex plummeted from 30% to 11%.
Siskiyou County’s Lava Fire currently holds the title of California’s largest wildfire this season, at 25,159 acres and 70% containment as of Friday morning. However, the Lava Fire has expanded minimally over the past 72 hours and the Beckwourth Complex is expected to overtake it in size Friday.
The complex is burning in eastern Plumas and Lassen counties, three miles northeast of Beckwourth — an area familiar with powerful blazes.
Area burns hot, causes ‘firenadoes’
Last August, the Reno office of the National Weather Service warned the communities east of Beckwourth of a fiery tornado that had sprung up at the Loyalton Fire, a large, fast-moving wildfire that burned nearly 50,000 around Beckwourth Pass and Hallelujah Junction, where Highways 395 and 70 meet.
It was the first known issuance of a tornado warning for the climate phenomenon since it burst into California’s consciousness during the deadly Carr Fire in 2018.
That fire, which burned for more than a week, was fueled by strong afternoon winds from the south and extremely low humidity.
A firenado was spotted during the Tennant Fire in Siskiyou County over the weekend, and this weekend’s extreme heat across Northern California raises the potential of more extreme fire-weather events.
Evacuations ordered in Dixie Valley
On Tuesday, Plumas County officials issued evacuation orders in the area from Beckwourth Genesee Road to Harrison Ranch Road. As the fire expanded rapidly on Thursday, officials issued more evacuation orders for Dixie Valley and for residents west of Highway 395 South, from Constantia Road to Red Rock Road.
Evacuation orders Thursday called on residents to leave their homes immediately. “If you remain, emergency personnel may not be able to assist you,” read the order for Dixie Valley.
Nearly 1,000 firefighters are currently responding to the fire. They plan to “assess and reevaluate strategies for containment” Friday, with a priority on protecting structures in the region, officials said in a Friday morning news release. Firefighters will also assist with mop-up efforts for the Dotta Fire, which is 76% contained.
Estimates are not yet available on how many structures have been damaged or destroyed.
Heat is expected to increase into the weekend, but wind should subside slightly, Ferris said. Those on the scene expect the fire to continue to expand, following an ongoing pattern of flaring up during the mid-afternoon before calming down into the night.
“The fire will definitely pick back up into the afternoon Friday,” Ferris said.
Roads are closed in the area of the fire, including Janesville-Frenchman Road, Highway 284, Frenchman East Shore and Beckwourth-Genesee Road. The U.S. Forest Service also issued an emergency fire order prohibiting non-fire personnel from entering the forest in the area of the Beckwourth Complex.
This story was originally published July 9, 2021 at 10:56 AM.