Mosquito Fire Becomes 2022's Largest CA Blaze

CALIFORNIA — A Northern California wildfire that destroyed dozens of homes and charred at least 70 structures has been dubbed the largest California fire of the year, authorities said.

Dubbed the Mosquito Fire, the blaze was looking "a whole heck of a lot better" on Thursday as firefighters prevented flames from entering the mountain town Foresthill, Cal Fire spokesman Scott McLean said.

The fire has burned nearly 64,000 acres and destroyed dozens of structures throughout El Dorado and Placer counties since it erupted on Sept. 6 the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.

At least 25 of the structures lost were single-occupancy residences, fire officials said.

The fire ballooned more than 15,000 acres since Monday. It was just 20 percent contained on Thursday, Cal Fire reported. In acreage it has already surpassed the McKinney Fire, which burned 60,138 acres and was previously the largest conflagration of 2022.

But this fire season has seen a fraction of last year's wildfire activity so far.

Crews on the ground built up containment lines while water-dropping helicopters knocked down hotspots after the fire roared back to life on Tuesday, burning structures near Foresthill.

“It's looking really good on the west end where we had that dramatic increase of fire earlier this week,” McLean said Thursday. Flames raced up a drainage ditch into a neighborhood, but firefighters saved all the homes.

At least 11,000 residents remained under evacuation orders on Thursday amid unpredictable weather conditions, officials said. Winds typically blow in the direction of several canyons and could rapidly kick flames up if gusts increase, McLean said.

The Mosquito Fire was one of three large fires in the state.

The Fairview Fire was burning about 75 miles southeast of Los Angeles. The 44-square-mile blaze was 84 percent contained Thursday. Two people died fleeing the fire, which destroyed at least 35 homes and other structures in Riverside County.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.