Aug. 20 p.m. update: Meeting on the West; fire fight on the East

The Dixie Fire is burning through the landscape and is now 705,000 acres and 35 percent contained. There are 5,734 personnel assigned to it.

Tonight’s community briefing was focused on the West Zone, while it was on the East Zone where intense fire fighting was underway. The West Zone sent 25 engines to help the East Zone protect structures in the Genesee area, where winds pushed the fire and caused the fire to spot over Genesee Road. Additionally, three new evacuation orders were issued late this afternoon: Taylorsville, and unpopulated areas in the Grizzly area and the east side of Mount Hough.

While West Zone Incident Meteorologist Joseph Goudsward, said that the northeast winds flipped to the southwest today, that didn’t happen on the East Zone, which is why the fire pushed into Genesee. Tomorrow a dry cold front will come through and the winds will pick up in speed — again they are supposed to be from the southwest. Past tomorrow, the winds are supposed to be calm.

Brian Newman, a fire behavior analyst, and Operations Section Chief Mark Brunton addressed specific areas of the fire.

Janesville: Saw activity on both flanks of the fire and expect to see more tomorrow.

Susanville and Hamilton Mountain: The wind stoked up the fire. Expect that to occur again tomorrow. There are primary and secondary lines in place. The work on Fredonyer Summit is supposed to protect Susanville and those lines will be tested by tomorrow’s winds. Brunton said this is the area of the fire that poses the greatest threat to Susanville.

Just west of Westwood: Expect interior pockets to burn out. Will be concerned about spot fires that could come out of there. And that threat is why Sheriff Dean Growdon doesn’t plan to lift evacuation orders for Clear Creek or Westwood  because the winds tomorrow will likely test the lines. They are also working on restoring power.

Lassen Park: Will see some smoke columns come out of that area tomorrow, but there hasn’t been significant growth in the park.

Mill Creek area: Was hit by the fresh wind ,but the fire burned back into itself for the most part. Nothing challenged the lines and that is expected again tomorrow.

Chester/Lake Almanor: All that’s left burning there is some stump holes and pockets. Will see that kind of activity in interior areas.

Highway 36: The burning operation there has been successful in preventing the fire’s spread south into the Peninsula   or Westwood.

Dyer Mountain: Crews cleaned up a slopover and the work there prevents the fire from spreading north into the Peninsula area.

Highway 44 corridor: Line in place to keep the fire from moving north.

Brunton said,  “Overall had a really good day on the fire.”

Warnings

Chandler Peay, representing the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office warned that with the wind event predicted this evening and  into tomorrow, evacuation orders could change and residents should remain alert.

Wrap up

Incident Commander Billy See said that winds will challenge firefighters tomorrow, but it will aid in the efforts on the western end of the fire –  to protect Mineral and  Mill Creek. As for the reallocation of 25 engines from the West to the East zones, he said it was an example of the coordinated effort and shared resources on this fire.

The next meeting for the West Zone will be Sunday, Aug. 22, at 7 p.m.

The next meeting for the East Zone will be Saturday, Aug. 21, at 7:30 p.m.