August 22, 2021 – Here are some operational updates for the Dixie Fire from the Lassen National Forest for Sunday, August 22, 2021.
8:15 P.M. OPERATIONAL UPDATE
Fire managers’ report this evening that the Dixie Fire East zone has crossed the Genesee Valley Road. Firefighters spent most of the day with equipment and air support trying to hold the fire at the road. The two spots are 1 and 2 acres near Grizzly Mountain and the day shift remained long enough for the night shift to get in place and begin working to hold the spots.
6:15 P.M. OPERATIONAL UPDATE - Dixie Fire East Zone
Resources have reported approaching fire along the Genesee Valley Road. From Bridge Check all the way to the Genesee store, the fire is on the road, but everything is continuing to hold. There was some slop over on the western portion of the perimeter in the Genesee area. Dozers and engines were not able to pick it up and are now re-evaluating and working on a plan to bring fire slowly down the hill and tie it into the road. Air support was able to fly again this afternoon after being grounded for a few hours.
The Beckworth Hotshots worked at putting in fire line around the Grizzly spot fire which is approximately 360 acres. Plumas hotshot will assist them tomorrow as they begin work on the west side of that spot. To the south of Grizzly peak, work has begun building contingency lines on the ridge system. In the area above Milford, work continues to strengthen control lines and hotshot crews are continuing to build direct line between the dozer lines coming from the top and the bottom. Around the rest of the fire, engines and crews are continuing to mop up and patrol.
4:40 P.M. OPERATIONS UPDATE - Genesee Valley, Milford & Antelope Lake
Fire Crew at Dixie Fire
Photo credit: Lassen National Forest
The fire has continued backing down the hill above Genesee Valley Road and has made its way down to the toe of the slope. Resources are in place to intercept the fire and engaged in structure protection.
An access point has been made on the ridge above the area of the Grizzly Mtn spot fire and handline has been constructed down the east side. Firefighters went back up the hill to start working down the west side but disengaged due to safety concerns when they lost air support due to smoke. They will re-engage tomorrow to finish the western line.
Crews are also patrolling and mopping up on the line west of Milford. In the area of the escarpment, the Feather River and Zuni Hotshots continue to build hand line. Crews are also doing mop-up around structures in Milford looking for residual heat. In another area, crews, engines, and equipment are going direct on the western edge of the fire near Antelope Lake trying to tie into the lower section of that lake.
On Friday, August 20th at 3:15 P.M., a strong north wind has pushed the Dixie Fire across Genesee Valley Road, according to the Fire Operations Branch Chief for that Branch 25 Firefighters and engines are actively engaged with many spots all across the road and structure protection is underway. There is currently a lot of air support trying to hold this area as well as crews and engines.
3:00 P.M. OPERATIONAL UPDATE
Firefighters continue their work today in the SE part of the Dixie Fire East Zone (just west of Milford). Dozers and crews are building and improving line between the southern edge of the fire and Cottonwood Peak.
In the Genesee Valley, work also continues as crews and engines work along the Genesee Valley Road heading toward Taylorsville, to widen and improve the line protecting the road from the fire's encroachment.
1:30 P.M. OPERATIONAL UPDATE
Janesville - The southeastern area of the East Zone of the Dixie Fire above Milford, continues to be mopped up along the dozer line. Crews are building direct line on the escarpment. The eastern edge remains secure. Firefighters are using aircraft on both the east/western lines and are continuing to mop up any residual heat in the community of Milford - there are no reported losses at this time.
On the southern edge above Antelope Lake, resources continue to go direct along the fire's edge to tie it into Antelope Lake. On the western edge, they have completed the dozer line and are securing the line and extinguishing heat along the way.
In Genesee Valley, resources continue to mop up around structures and secure the edge of the fire where it hits the toe of the slope. Resources are engaged in the slop over in the northern section of Genesee Valley. They continue putting in direct and indirect line to cut off any additional eastern spread. In Taylorsville / Peters Creek, firefighters are going direct on the fires edge, mopping up and patrolling around all the structures. Behind the structures, work has been done to put in dozer line that has hose lays. There is a contingency line above Taylorsville that is being constructed that is anticipated to be completed in 2 days. The Grizzly Mt spot fire is currently being worked with aircraft and a Helitack crew is building a helicopter landing spot and scouting for potential locations for contingency lines on the backside of Grizzly in the event of any southward fire movement on Grizzly Mtn.
12:45 P.M. Dixie Fire East Zone
Fuels Treatment Projects Are Helping
There have been a number of fuels treatment projects involving thinning of trees and underbrush in the northeastern end of the Genesee Valley area. It is just one of the areas on the Plumas National Forest where fuels projects have been completed.
Such projects involve removing the "ladder" fuels or those that go from the ground up about 14 feet, as well as smaller tree growth, and then stacking and eventually burning, those piles of brush.
Source: Lassen National Forest
