The Dixie Fire (2021) was a California wildfire in Northern Sierra (Butte, Plumas, Lassen, Shasta, Tehama Counties), with 963,309 acres, 1,311 structures destroyed, 1 death on the public record. Its cause is recorded as confirmed. Litigation filed. Status as of October 1, 2026, per PG&E Corporation Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC.
The Dixie Fire burned 963,309 acres in the summer and fall of 2021, second only to the 2020 August Complex on CAL FIRE's list of the largest California wildfires. It destroyed the town of Greenville and 1,311 structures in all.
CAL FIRE found that a tree fell onto a PG&E distribution line. The district attorneys of five counties chose a civil settlement over criminal charges: in April 2022 PG&E agreed to pay $55 million across the Dixie and Kincade fires. The Public Utilities Commission added a $45 million penalty in January 2024.
The civil litigation is large and mostly settled, but not finished. PG&E reports about 190 complaints on behalf of at least 9,062 individual plaintiffs, coordinated in San Francisco as the Dixie Fire Cases, and says a substantial majority of those claims have been resolved. Every trial date so far has been vacated and none is scheduled. PG&E has paid $2,049 million on Dixie claims through June 30, 2026.
Two things are still moving. CAL FIRE's own lawsuit for its firefighting costs reached a settlement in principle in the second quarter of 2026. And PG&E has asked the Public Utilities Commission to let it recover Dixie and Kincade costs, which will decide how much falls on the company and how much on customers and the state Wildfire Fund. A proposed decision is due by November 13, 2026.
The numbers vary by source. CAL FIRE's January 2022 announcement gave 1,329 structures destroyed and 95 damaged; its incident page and Top 20 lists give 1,311 and 94. Its lists attribute one death to the fire, while the district attorneys said no one was killed.
Fire facts
From public records; unknown values are shown, never guessed.
| Year | 2021 |
|---|---|
| Start date | 2021-07-13 |
| Containment date | 2021-10-25 |
| Region / counties | Butte, Plumas, Lassen, Shasta, Tehama |
| Acreage | 963,309 |
| Structures destroyed | 1,311 |
| Structures damaged | 94 |
| Fatalities | 1 |
| Cause status | confirmed |
| Officially determined arson | No / not determined |
| Public settlement information | Published amounts: $24 million to ten public entities (January 2023); $34.75 million under the April 2022 stipulated judgment with five district attorneys for the Dixie and Fly fires, part of $55 million with the Kincade Fire. PG&E reports $2,049 million paid on all Dixie claims through June 30, 2026. Amounts paid to individuals and insurers are not public. |
| Last verified | 2026-10-01 |
Cause
CAL FIRE announced on January 4, 2022 that the Dixie Fire was caused by a tree contacting electrical distribution lines owned and operated by Pacific Gas and Electric Company, west of Cresta Dam in the Feather River Canyon, and it forwarded its report to the Butte County District Attorney. Its full investigation report, made public in June 2022, described a Douglas fir falling on the lines on the morning of July 13, 2021 and criticized the length of PG&E's response to the outage. Staff of the California Public Utilities Commission found violations of General Order 95 in their own report of October 9, 2023; the settlement that followed states that PG&E does not admit a violation. PG&E says it disagrees with many of the allegations in the CAL FIRE report. CAL FIRE's incident page still shows the cause as under investigation.
What happened
The Dixie Fire started on July 13, 2021 in the Feather River Canyon and burned for more than three months across Butte, Plumas, Lassen, Shasta and Tehama counties. On August 4 it burned through Greenville, a town of about 800 people, and destroyed most of it; by that day nearly 26,500 people in several counties were under evacuation orders. CAL FIRE records containment on October 25, 2021 at 963,309 acres. Its incident page lists 1,311 structures destroyed and 94 damaged.
Dixie Fire timeline
Each entry is dated and links to the public source it comes from.
The Dixie Fire starts in the Feather River Canyon, west of Cresta Dam.
Source: CAL FIRE
The fire burns through Greenville; nearly 26,500 people in several counties are under evacuation orders.
Source: Associated Press, via NPR
CAL FIRE records the fire as contained at 963,309 acres.
Source: CAL FIRE
CAL FIRE announces that a tree contacting PG&E distribution lines caused the fire.
Source: CAL FIRE
Five district attorneys file a civil stipulated judgment with PG&E in place of criminal charges.
Source: Butte County District Attorney
It is reported that CAL FIRE's full report cites an excessively delayed response by PG&E.
Source: Los Angeles Times
Ten public entities settle with PG&E for $24 million.
PG&E enters an agreement with insurance subrogation plaintiffs.
CAL FIRE sues PG&E for suppression and investigation costs.
CPUC staff issue their investigation report and propose a $45 million penalty.
The CPUC approves the $45 million penalty in Resolution SED-8.
Timber owners file a separate complaint against PG&E.
Source: Courthouse News Service
PG&E files Application 25-11-001 to recover Kincade and Dixie costs.
PG&E reports about 190 complaints for at least 9,062 plaintiffs, a substantial majority resolved, and no trial scheduled.
The court denies class certification in the medical monitoring case.
Litigation status
Litigation filed. Status as of October 1, 2026, per PG&E Corporation Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC.
Individual claims against PG&E over the Dixie Fire are coordinated in San Francisco County Superior Court as the Dixie Fire Cases, Judicial Council Coordination Proceeding 5208. As of July 15, 2026 PG&E reported about 190 complaints on behalf of at least 9,062 individual plaintiffs and stated that a substantial majority of those claims have been resolved. The court has scheduled and vacated numerous trial dates, including a bellwether trial set for June 23, 2025 and an individual trial set for December 2, 2026, and no trial is scheduled. Ten public entities settled for $24 million in January 2023, and PG&E reached an agreement with insurers in March 2023. Timber owners filed a separate complaint on April 10, 2024. CAL FIRE sued on June 30, 2023 for its suppression and investigation costs, and the two sides reached a settlement in principle in the second quarter of 2026. A separate proposed class action, mainly seeking medical monitoring, was denied class certification on July 20, 2026. No criminal charges were filed: on April 11, 2022 the district attorneys of Plumas, Lassen, Tehama, Shasta and Butte counties filed a civil stipulated judgment in Plumas County Superior Court, under which PG&E has financial obligations of $34.75 million for the Dixie and Fly fires. The California Public Utilities Commission approved a $45 million penalty on January 25, 2024 in Resolution SED-8: a $2.5 million fine, $2.5 million to tribes affected by the fire and $40 million in shareholder-funded work. PG&E's Application 25-11-001, filed November 14, 2025, asks the Commission to review and allow recovery of its Kincade and Dixie costs and is pending. We found no lawsuit by the United States over national forest land.
That a substantial majority of claims are resolved says nothing about any claim that is not. This entry reports only what the public record shows as of the status date, and nothing here describes any individual situation.
Court & regulatory record
- CAL FIRE investigators determine cause of the Dixie Fire (January 4, 2022) , CAL FIRE
- Civil case coordination log, entry for the Dixie Fire Cases , Judicial Council of California (Case JCCP 5208)
- Stipulation for entry of final judgment, People v. Pacific Gas and Electric Company (April 11, 2022) , Plumas County Superior Court, published by Plumas County
- Resolution SED-8, administrative consent order regarding the 2021 Dixie Fire , California Public Utilities Commission
- Incident investigation report, Dixie Fire (October 9, 2023) , California Public Utilities Commission, Safety and Enforcement Division (Case W20210713-01)
- Scoping memo and ruling, review and recovery of Kincade and Dixie fire costs (December 12, 2025) , California Public Utilities Commission (Case A.25-11-001)
- Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026: 2021 Dixie Fire , PG&E Corporation, filed with the SEC
This is a reported public-record status, not advice about any individual’s legal situation. Deadlines and eligibility change over time and depend on facts specific to each person. If you have questions about yours, contact us and we will help.
Key figures on the public record
Each figure below was published by the court, agency, or company named beside it, on the date shown. These describe the case and the disaster, not any individual’s situation.
| Figure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Acres burned | 963,309 | CAL FIRE, October 14, 2022 |
| Structures destroyed | 1,311 | CAL FIRE incident page and Top 20 lists, August 4, 2026 |
| Structures destroyed, January 2022 announcement | 1,329 | CAL FIRE, January 4, 2022 |
| Complaints and plaintiffs PG&E was aware of | About 190 complaints, at least 9,062 plaintiffs | PG&E Corporation Form 10-Q, July 15, 2026 |
| PG&E cumulative payments, all Dixie claims | $2,049 million | PG&E Corporation Form 10-Q, June 30, 2026 |
| PG&E recorded liability, before recoveries | $2.25 billion | PG&E Corporation Form 10-Q, June 30, 2026 |
| Settlement with ten public entities | $24 million | PG&E Corporation Form 10-K, January 17, 2023 |
| District attorneys' judgment, Dixie and Fly fires | $34.75 million | California Public Utilities Commission, Resolution SED-8, April 11, 2022 |
| CPUC penalty | $45 million | California Public Utilities Commission, Resolution SED-8, January 25, 2024 |
In the news
Independent news coverage related to the Dixie Fire. Each link opens the original public reporting.
- Jul 15, 2026Drone's role in Dixie Fire may cost PG&E ratepayersNBC Bay Area
- Apr 11, 2024Landowners sue PG&E, claiming $225 million loss in catastrophic Dixie FireCourthouse News Service
- Jan 26, 2024PG&E penalized $45 million in Dixie fire settlement with CPUCLos Angeles Times
- Jan 25, 2024PG&E agrees to $45 million fine over Dixie FireCourthouse News Service
- Jan 18, 2023$24M Settlement reached with PG&E over Dixie Fire, utility faces criminal charges in 2020 Zogg FireCBS Sacramento
- Jun 10, 2022Cal Fire cites ‘excessively delayed response’ by PG&E for spread of massive Dixie fireLos Angeles Times
- Apr 11, 2022PG&E Reaches $55 Million Deal to Avoid Criminal Charges in Counties Ravaged by Recent WildfiresKQED
- Aug 5, 2021The Dixie Fire Has Destroyed Most Of A Historic Northern California TownAssociated Press, via NPR
Common questions about the Dixie Fire
What caused the Dixie Fire?
CAL FIRE announced on January 4, 2022 that the Dixie Fire was caused by a tree contacting electrical distribution lines owned and operated by Pacific Gas and Electric Company, west of Cresta Dam in the Feather River Canyon, and it forwarded its report to the Butte County District Attorney. Its full investigation report, made public in June 2022, described a Douglas fir falling on the lines on the morning of July 13, 2021 and criticized the length of PG&E's response to the outage. Staff of the California Public Utilities Commission found violations of General Order 95 in their own report of October 9, 2023; the settlement that followed states that PG&E does not admit a violation. PG&E says it disagrees with many of the allegations in the CAL FIRE report. CAL FIRE's incident page still shows the cause as under investigation.
Is there litigation over the Dixie Fire?
Litigation filed. Status as of October 1, 2026, per PG&E Corporation Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC.
What areas did the Dixie Fire affect?
The Dixie Fire (Northern Sierra (Butte, Plumas, Lassen, Shasta, Tehama Counties)) affected communities including Greenville, Canyondam, Indian Falls, Chester, Twain, Crescent Mills.
How large was the Dixie Fire?
963,309 acres, 1,311 structures destroyed, 1 fatality, per public records as of 2026-10-01.
What caused the Dixie Fire?
CAL FIRE determined that the 2021 Dixie Fire was caused by a tree contacting electrical distribution lines owned and operated by Pacific Gas and Electric Company, west of Cresta Dam in the Feather River Canyon. It announced that finding on January 4, 2022.
What is the status of the Dixie Fire litigation?
The Dixie Fire litigation against PG&E is coordinated in San Francisco County Superior Court as the Dixie Fire Cases, JCCP 5208. As of July 15, 2026 PG&E reported about 190 complaints on behalf of at least 9,062 individual plaintiffs, said a substantial majority of those claims had been resolved, and said no trial was scheduled.
Was PG&E criminally charged for the Dixie Fire?
No. On April 11, 2022 the district attorneys of Plumas, Lassen, Tehama, Shasta and Butte counties resolved the Dixie Fire with PG&E through a civil stipulated judgment filed in Plumas County Superior Court instead of criminal charges. PG&E agreed to pay $55 million across the Dixie and Kincade fires.
How much has PG&E paid for the Dixie Fire?
PG&E reports cumulative payments of $2,049 million on Dixie Fire claims through June 30, 2026, against a recorded liability of $2.25 billion. Published settlements include $24 million to ten public entities in January 2023. Amounts paid to individuals and insurers are not public.
Did the federal government sue PG&E over the Plumas National Forest?
We found no lawsuit by the United States against PG&E over national forest land burned in the 2021 Dixie Fire as of October 1, 2026. PG&E's filing for the quarter ended June 30, 2026 treats federal claims as potential only.
How large was the Dixie Fire?
The Dixie Fire burned 963,309 acres across Butte, Plumas, Lassen, Shasta and Tehama counties between July 13 and October 25, 2021, according to CAL FIRE, and destroyed 1,311 structures.
Sources
- Dixie Fire incident record, CAL FIRE
- CAL FIRE investigators determine cause of the Dixie Fire, CAL FIRE
- Top 20 Largest and Most Destructive California Wildfires, linked from CAL FIRE Statistics, CAL FIRE
- Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, PG&E Corporation, filed with the SEC
- Form 10-K for fiscal year 2022, PG&E Corporation, filed with the SEC
- Form 10-K for fiscal year 2023, PG&E Corporation, filed with the SEC
- Resolution SED-8, California Public Utilities Commission
- Incident investigation report W20210713-01, California Public Utilities Commission, Safety and Enforcement Division
- Scoping memo and ruling, Application 25-11-001, California Public Utilities Commission
- Proceeding A.25-11-001 docket, California Public Utilities Commission
- Civil case coordination log, Judicial Council of California
- North State District Attorneys press release on the Dixie Fire settlement, Butte County District Attorney
- The Dixie Fire Has Destroyed Most Of A Historic Northern California Town, Associated Press, via NPR
Facts on this page are drawn from the public sources listed above and rewritten in original words. See Sources & Methodology.