Thick smoke that held down winds and temperatures began to clear Sunday from the scenic forestlands of Northern California as firefighters battling the largest single wildfire in state history braced for a return of fire-friendly weather.
The winds weren’t expected to reach the ferocious speeds that helped the Dixie Fire explode in size last week.
But they were nonetheless concerning for firefighters working in unprecedented conditions to protect thousands of threatened homes and buildings.
The Dixie Fire grew overnight to an area of 725 square miles Sunday morning and was just 21% contained.
It has scorched an area more than twice the size of New York City.
