BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — California’s largest wildfire grew Wednesday as thousands of firefighters prepared for a tougher fight as dangerous weather returns.
Firefighters were able to save homes and hold large stretches of the Dixie Fire, but flames jumped perimeter lines in a few spots, prompting additional evacuation orders for some 15,000 people.
As of Wednesday, that fire has burned more than 270 thousand acres and is at 35 percent containment.
During a press conference Wednesday, Governor Gavin Newsom talked about how the climate continues to make things difficult.
"The reality at the end of the day is that we need to approach things differently. We need to acknowledge that the hot is getting a lot hotter and the highs are getting dryer and from a flooding concern these atmospheric rivers, the wets are getting a lot wetter," said Newsom. "The simultaneous crisis, not only drought but climate extreme heat and weather, dry soil conditions. But also energy reliability challenges not only California and Californians but our governance over the entire west coast of the United States."
The Dixie Fire is now the 8th biggest wildfire in state history, it recently passed the cedar fire which, burned 273 thousand acres back in October of 2003.
The Dixie Fire is one of just many wildfires not only burning in California but through the west.
There has been an estimated 579 thousand acres burned in California and, 400 structures have been either damaged or destroyed.
No deaths have been reported.
