Photos show scorched earth and destruction as California battles one of the largest wildfires in state history

In this Saturday, July 24, 2021, file photo a firefighter passes a burning home as the Dixie Fire flares in Plumas County, Calif.AP Photo/Noah Berge,File

• The 15th largest wildfire in state history is currently blazing through Northern California.
• The Dixie fire destroyed multiple structures over the weekend and is threatening thousands more.
• Photos from across the state show the destruction wrought by the ongoing fires.

More than a dozen homes and properties were destroyed this weekend as one of the largest wildfires in California history continues to blaze through nearly 200,000 acres of land across the Northern part of the state.

Hot temperatures and high winds have ballooned the Dixie fire through Butte and Plumas counties, making it the largest raging wildfire in the state this year. On Sunday night, it became the 15th largest wildfire in the state's history, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The Dixie fire, which had already achieved "mega fire" status last week, merged with the smaller Fly fire, over the weekend as it blazed through more land amid drought conditions throughout California.

As of Monday, 22% of the fire had been contained and its speed of growth was beginning to slow, according to an incident report. But conditions are expected to worsen in the coming days.

Recent heatwaves and dry conditions across the West have spurred several other wildfires in the region and made fighting conditions difficult for responders.