COMING UP NEXT.
>>> BREAKING NEWS OUT OF
CALIFORNIA, WHERE THE DIXIE
WILDFIRE IS EXPLODING IN SIZE
TODAY.
NOW THE SECOND LARGEST IN STATE
HISTORY.
IT’S BURNING AN AREA LARGER THAN
THE ENTIRE AREA OF NEW YORK
CITY.
NBC’S STEVE PATTERSON IS IN
GREENVILLE, CALIFORNIA.
STEVE, I’VE BEEN WATCHING THE
IMAGES, AND IT’S UNBELIEVABLE
THAT THAT WAS WITNESS A THRIVING
LITTLE TOWN THERE.
WHAT ARE OFFICIALS TELLING YOU?
>> Reporter: FIRE OFFICIALS SAY
THEY CAUGHT A BREAK THIS WEEKEND
BECAUSE OF THE RED FLAG WINDS
THAT PUSHED THE FIRE INTO TOWN
HERE DIED DOWN BEFORE THE
WEEKEND.
AN INVERSION LAYER FORMED.
IT ALL FORMED IN ONE SPOT, THERE
WAS NOTHING TO MOVE IT.
SO IT SETTLED.
IT MAKES THE ATMOSPHERE COOLER,
HUMIDITY RISES, TEMPERATURES
DROP, AND THEY CAN GET A HANDLE
ON IT, BECAUSE THERE’S NO WIND
TO MOVE THE FIRE TO A NEW FRONT.
YOU CAN FINALLY SEE BEHIND ME,
THE DESTRUCTION IS UNLIKE
ANYTHING I CAN DESCRIBE.
WHAT THIS MEANS, BECAUSE YOU CAN
SEE THIS INVERSION LAYER IS
STARTING TO LIFT, SO THE WORRY
IS ALL OF THIS SMOKE WILL BE
PUSHED OUT AS IT LIFTS UP,
ALMOST LIKE A DOME, IF YOU PUT
IT OFF, ALL THAT STEAM HAS TO GO
SOMEWHERE.
THIS IS DANGLY WILDFIRE SMOKE.
THIS IS MAIN STREET OF A TOWN
THAT AS EXISTED SINCE THE
CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH, BUT THIS
IS WHAT FIREFIGHTERS ARE TRULY
WORRIED ABOUT.
BECAUSE THERE’S SO MUCH OF THIS
FUEL, DRY FUEL, GRASS AND
VEGETATION THAT IS LEFT OVER
THAT COULD BURN IN AN INSTANT,
THAT’S WHAT FIREFIGHTERS ARE
WORRIED ABOUT WITH THE FIRE
MOVING.
HERE’S ONE I SPOKE TO, ABOUT THE
LEVEL OF INTENSITY THIS
VEGETATION COULD BURN OUT.
LISTEN TO THIS.
>> IF YOU DROPPED 100 MATCHES IN
100 DIFFERENT PLACES, EVERY
SINGLE ONE OF THOSE WOULD START
A NEW FIRE.
THAT’S HOW DRY THE CONDITIONS
ARE.
ON THIS FOREST, WE’RE EXCEEDING
ALL THE THRESHOLDS OF THE
AVAILABILITY OF FUELS.
THAT’S DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTING TO
THE LARGE FIRE GROWTH WE ARE
SEEING.
>> THAT COULD MAKE THINGS WAY