Winds stoke California’s largest fire as blazes scorch West

A firefighter passes a burning home as the Dixie Fire flares in Plumas County, Calif., Saturday, July 24, 2021. The fire destroyed multiple residences as it tore through the Indian Falls community. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Erratic winds and the potential for dry lightning have added to the challenges facing firefighters battling California’s largest wildfire, one of numerous blazes burning across the US West.

Over the weekend, the massive Dixie Fire merged with the smaller Fly Fire and tore through the remote northern California community of Indian Falls.