The Dixie Fire is only the second wildfire in California history to approach 1 million acres. Its monumental sweep across the northern Sierra ravaged Gold Rush towns, sacred Native American sites and thick conifer forests. On Sept. 30, firefighters said they don’t expect to fully contain the fire until Oct. 30. The blaze has burned for more than 2½ months, and it stands at 963,309 acres, or about 1,500 square miles. The size of the fire is a testament to both the harrowing conditions this year, including the drought, and a long-term trend of bigger, hotter fires, largely caused by global warming.