FORT COLLINS, Colo. (KDVR) — The Dixie fire in northern California is on track to become the largest wildfire in state history. It’s burned more than 900,000 acres, destroying nearly 1,300 structures in its path.
Fire crews from across the country have been cycling through to fight the fire since it began on July 13. That includes a team from the Poudre Fire Authority that spent two weeks there at the end of August.
Many of these firefighters also spent time at the Cameron Peak Fire last summer, but that was only about ¼ the size of the Dixie Fire.
“It’s a bigger fire than I’ve ever been to before, so it was a really unique incident to respond to. There were days where our work area was almost two hours away from the main fire camp, which is a really long distance on a fire like that,” Jenna Ladowksi from the Poudre Fire Authority said.
Colorado firefighters believe the experience battling these massive fires will help them protect their own communities at home, especially the communication and coordination practice they’re getting on such a big scale.