Earlier today I mentioned that the Dixie Fire was the 3rd largest fire in California history. That’s true, however the other two larger fires were considered complexes, meaning they were made up of two or more separate fires in a given area. If you just look at standalone fires, the Dixie Fire is the largest in state history:

The Dixie Fire — now the largest active fire in the nation — has destroyed more than 100 homes and is expected to do more damage, according to Plumas County Sheriff Todd Johns. He said authorities were searching for four people who were unaccounted for in the area Thursday.

The Dixie Fire has consumed 432,813 acres — an area 3.5 times the size of Lake Tahoe, making it the third largest fire in California history.

The fire, which has burned an area equivalent to the size of New York’s Central Park every 11 minutes for 24 hours, is 35% contained.

Here’s a map of the current fire:

Here's the latest look at our satellite detected heat signatures around the #DixieFire on Friday morning. This map is showing most of the growth over the last 12 hours on the north and east sides of the fire, with some activity along the west side as well. pic.twitter.com/nP5cm4sGFH

— Cort Klopping (@CortKlopping) August 6, 2021

Wednesday the town of Greenville, home to around 1,000 people was largely burned to the ground. A storm chaser named Brandon Clement shot video of the destruction:

There isn't much left from Main St. North for about a mile. I can't say what it looks like past that but it's not going to be good. I got video from as far in as I felt safe. Will be working on it shortly. I'm so sorry for the community.

— WXChasing (Brandon Clement) (@bclemms) August 5, 2021

I believe this is taken at the intersection of Mill St and Hwy 89 in #Greensville #DixieFire pic.twitter.com/gWDZmmuLP8

— WXChasing (Brandon Clement) (@bclemms) August 5, 2021

A Few pics from Greenville, Ca today as the #DixieFire raced through town. #wildfires #Wildfire pic.twitter.com/Y1Dp3SIpSQ

— WXChasing (Brandon Clement) (@bclemms) August 5, 2021

This compilation clip is incredible. It includes a fire tornado and burning trees that sound like a flamethrower.

Video from #dixiefire from Greenville, Chester, Lake Almanor areas. pic.twitter.com/wilWSZcaeq

— WXChasing (Brandon Clement) (@bclemms) August 5, 2021

In one case firefighters knocked down a burning garage to try to save the house.

Watch @Socofiredist crew use a bulldozer to tear down a burning garage to prevent the fire from spreading to the home in Lake Alamanor West yesterday. #DixieFire #wildfires pic.twitter.com/bxZ1AO3B6b

— WXChasing (Brandon Clement) (@bclemms) August 6, 2021

In Susanville, which is east of the fire, the skies turned red “like something you’d see on Mars.”

This is the current view from Susanville, California, where the smoke plume of the #DixieFire is so thick, only the red light being produced by the sun can pierce through the smoke particles being produced by the fire. A scene that looks like something you'd see on Mars. pic.twitter.com/OaoeR8Gf3N

— US StormWatch (@US_Stormwatch) August 5, 2021

Leaving Susanville now. View from the main drag as of 4:56 PM. #dixiefire pic.twitter.com/6ASnNz6ADs

— lizz ehrenpreis (@bestingbetty) August 6, 2021

One family that escaped Chester as the fire was approaching are still trying to deal with the stress:

Annika Peacock and her husband are ex-military. They know how to keep their cool in difficult moments. But even Peacock hasn’t been able to sleep since evacuating Chester last week as the Dixie Fire raged — and continues to burn — through Plumas County.

“It’s been emotionally trying,” Peacock said by phone Friday from Santa Barbara, where she and her husband are staying with friends. “I had to see a doctor yesterday because I haven’t slept in a week.”…

“We’re going to be processing what actually happened for years,” Peacock said. “This is going to be the subject of many meetings with a therapist.”

Here’s a report from Today which aired this morning: