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Massive landslide shuts down stretch of Highway 70 in NorCal

Rocks and vegetation cover Highway 70 following a landslide in the Dixie Fire zone on Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, in Plumas County, Calif. Heavy rains blanketing Northern California created slide and flood hazards in land scorched during last summer's wildfires. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Dramatic images show a stretch of State Route 70 in Northern California covered in rocks and vegetation following a landslide in the fire-scarred region during Sunday’s powerful storm.

A portion of the hillside came down along the highway in Butte County near the Plumas County line as heavy rains lashed a region nestled within the burn zone of last summer’s Dixie Fire, officials say.

The massive inferno charred nearly 1 million acres across five California counties, making it one of the largest brush fires in the state’s history.

Mudslides and flooding also hit other parts of the 70, prompting the closure of the highway between Jarbo Gap to the Greenville Wye, according to Caltrans.

“Please avoid the area as crews continue to work to clear the roadway,” the agency tweeted.

It was not immediately clear when the state route would fully reopen.