The Dixie Fire
The Dixie Fire burned 963,309 acres across five Northern California counties over more than three months, making it the largest single (non-complex) wildfire in California history. It leveled the historic Gold Rush town of Greenville and became the first fire known to burn across the Sierra Nevada crest.
Shaded circle = 963,309 acres burned
The shaded circle covers the same area as the fire’s recorded footprint, centered near its origin. Real perimeters were irregular and wind-driven.
Key facts
What happened
The fire started on July 13, 2021 in the Feather River Canyon, near where the 2018 Camp Fire began, when a tree contacted a PG&E distribution line. Burning through drought-stressed timber during California's driest year in a century, it generated repeated pyrocumulonimbus clouds, fire tornadoes, and multi-mile ember runs.
On August 4 the fire destroyed most of downtown Greenville in under an hour. It burned for more than 100 days before full containment on October 25.
Why it matters
The Dixie Fire showed how a century of fuel accumulation, severe drought, and a warming climate can produce fires that outrun any suppression effort. It burned nearly one million acres despite more than 6,500 personnel assigned at its peak.
PG&E was again at the center: the utility reached settlements with counties and was placed under enhanced oversight, accelerating its program to bury thousands of miles of distribution lines in high-risk areas.
Frequently asked questions
Was the Dixie Fire the largest in California history?
It is the largest single-source wildfire in state history at 963,309 acres. Only the 2020 August Complex, a merger of dozens of lightning fires, burned more land overall.
What caused the Dixie Fire?
CAL FIRE determined a tree contacting a PG&E power line in the Feather River Canyon started the fire.
What happened to Greenville?
Wind-driven flames destroyed most of downtown Greenville, a 160-year-old Gold Rush town, on August 4, 2021. Rebuilding is ongoing.
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Sources
Facts checked against the sources above. Figures such as costs and death tolls follow the most widely accepted official counts.