California’s Dixie Fire explodes to area bigger than NYC

A “perfect storm” of conditions allowed the California wildfire that destroyed a Gold Rush town this week to explode, scorching 100,000 more acres in the past day, after it was predicted to slow down Friday.

The Dixie Fire is now the third largest wildfire ever in the state’s history, engulfing 679 square miles — an area larger than New York City — and is threatening nearly 14,000 buildings across four counties, The Los Angeles Times reported. At least 8 people are missing, including five from Greenville, the community of about 1,000 that was incinerated on Wednesday evening. No injuries or deaths have been reported, according to The Associated Press.