the fires nerest my (former) home were in the Butte Complex--the Rim fire and the Empire. they had been more or less contained and controlled when the Camp fire from the Canyon Complex rose up and jumped all the lines.

the smoke was so thick that the fire was not spotted until it was 1,000
acres. no planes could fly or see the ground, and soon it was 2,000 then 2500 acress. the actual fire was increased greatly by back fires set to try to control the fire.