CA Fires: 2 New Large Fires Spark As Temperatures Cool Slightly

CALIFORNIA — Wildfires continued to rage on both sides of the state Sunday with two new major blazes erupting and several record-breaking fires continuing to challenge crews in Northern California.

Since January, 7,377 wildfires have already scorched more than 2.2 million acres. In that same timeframe last year, there 8,075 fires had devoured more than 3.2 million acres in the state, according to Cal Fire.

On Sunday, 13,300 firefighters were working the front lines to quell 16 major fires. On Saturday, crews responded to 36 new wildfires. All but two of those fires were successfully extinguished: The Route fire swelled out of control and closed Interstate-5 in Southern California on Saturday while the Paradise fire burned 350 acres in Sequoia National Park, Cal Fire reported.

In Northern California, winds remained light and temperatures cooled slightly, allowing firefighters to make progress on the Caldor and Dixie fires, which have evaded firefighting efforts for weeks and prompted mass evacuations.

Dry conditions and temperatures slightly above normal remained in Northern California Sunday. A slight uptick in winds was forecast for the day, especially in coastal areas. Meanwhile, in Southern California, temperatures were expected to remain slightly above normal through the middle of next week.

Two firefighters suffered burn injuries in the Route fire, which was smoldering in North Los Angeles County, according to Andrew Mitchell, a spokesman for the Angeles National Forest. Crews struggled to gain containment over that blaze due to the mountainous terrain, but firefighters did make progress overnight with the help of water-dropping aircraft and boots on the ground, Mitchel added.

SEE ALSO: Blaze Burns 450+ Acres, Injures 2 Firefighters In North LA County

Crews took advantage of cooler temperatures on Sunday to build containment lines. The cause of the fire was still under investigation.

On the other side of the state, residents of Grizzly Flats, a town devastated by the massive Caldor fire south of Lake Tahoe were allowed to return home. Most of the town's homes, as well as the school, post office, church and fire station were destroyed in the first days of the month-old fire. Evacuation orders were also lifted for homes along State Route 50 as containment of the Caldor fire increased to 65 percent.

Firefighters were diverted from battling blaze to fight multiple overnight lightning fires when thunderstorms swept across the state Thursday night into Friday.

The thunderstorms dropped light rain to slightly dampen the drought-stricken north, fire officials said.

Up to a half-inch of rain fell on portions of the Dixie Fire, which began in mid-July and has burned through huge swaths of the northern Sierra Nevada and southern Cascades. However, fire officials said the rain is drying fast and vegetation is becoming more flammable.

The second-largest fire in California history has burned 1,500 square miles of land and more than 1,300 homes and other buildings. It was 65 percent contained.

Despite the massive plumes of smoke sent into the air by the two NorCal fires, the air quality of the greater San Francisco Bay Area improved over the weekend, according to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.

READ MORE: Bay Area's Air Quality Improves Despite NorCal Fires

See Cal Fire's chart of all major fires burning across the Golden State on Sunday.