- These flames have blazeda path of destruction,

with close to 500,000 acres burned so far.

The out of control fire is being fueled

by recent hot, dry conditions,and as the threat nears,

residents are fleeing for their lives.

The explosive Dixie Fire,

named for the road where itignited, is just 25% contained.

Bone dry conditions and strong winds

could make the blazeeven more combustible.

Homes and other buildingshave been destroyed.

The fire gutting thesmall town of Greenville.

Residents forced toleave everything behind

as they fled their homes.

- Left behind a lot of stuff.

Fire's ravaged through everything.

- It's scary when you sit there

and see all the smokecoming over the mountain

and wonder where's it atbecause you can't see it.

- [Charlene] CBN's OperationBlessing is working closely

with relief partners in and around areas

burned by the flames.

One of those is Bethel Global Response.

- What we saw there was devastating.

The families have often livedthere for multi-generations

and the families' homesare often owned outright

and they've been theresince they were born.

- [Charlene] Bethel isworking to support families,

both physically and spiritually.

- We're offeringsomething called ash-outs,

which is sifting through theashes of the home that was lost

in order to find valuablesthat are still intact

within the footprint of the home

that can be given back to the survivors.

- [Charlene] With so manyfires burning across the state

in recent years, Bethelhas grown accustomed

to the much needed ministry.

- We get prepared for this all year long

and it is anticipatedand it has been happening

pretty consistently recently.

We are geared up for this.

We have responded tothe Salt Fire recently,

just north of Redding here in town.

- [Charlene] A staff of volunteersmaking a huge difference

in the toughest of times.

- People who are servant-hearted,like Jesus as a servant,

are those who give theirtime and their energy

and their resources to relievethe suffering of others,

and so they are motivatedby the compassion of Jesus,

by the kindness they felt from Him,

and the desire to give that away.

- [Charlene] And signs ofGod's love and faithfulness

abound in the ashes.

- It is so good to see thefaithfulness of the Lord

from the front seat ina disaster situation.

Continually, you see Hisprovision, His abundance,

His specificity, and loving people well,

and the overarching compassion

of humans loving one another in His name.

And you don't find a place

where He isn't in the midst of disaster.

He is the one loving the survivors,

He is the one comforting them,

and He is the one counseling them.

- Meanwhile, California is ontrack to surpass last year,

which had the worst fire season

in recent recorded state history.

Since the start of theyear, more than 6,000 blazes

have destroyed more than1,200 square miles of land.

Charlene Aaron, CBN News.