Wildfires in the West have spread so rapidly amid continuing dry, gusty conditions that a Northern California town has been destroyed.

       Firefighters had made progress on containing the Dixie Fire, the largest in California, which has been burning near Feather River Canyon for weeks. But after the fire jumped containment lines earlier this week, it exploded, consuming an additional 48,000 acres on Wednesday alone.

       Fred Greaves/Reuters

       A firefighter guides a firetruck down a driveway to protect homes threatened by the flames at the River Fire, a wildfire near the Placer County town of Grass Valley, Calif., Aug. 4, 2021.

       The blaze destroyed homes and businesses in the downtown neighborhood of Greenville, about 150 miles northeast of Sacramento, as it ripped through the region.

       Dramatic images show multiple structures engulfed in flames. The historic area of Greenville has been destroyed, leaving nothing but rubble behind, according to photographers who examined the ruins.

       MORE: 'We lost Greenville.' Wildfire decimates California town

       One photographer saw a gas station, hotel and bar completely burned to the ground, according to The Associated Press.

       It is unclear how many structures have been destroyed.

       Noah Berger/AP

       Flames consume a home on Highway 89 as the Dixie Fire tears through the Greenville community of Plumas County, Calif., Aug. 4, 2021. The fire leveled multiple historic buildings and dozens of homes in central Greenville.

       One witness told the AP that she fled with a dog and two horses as she watched clouds grow from the west side of a lake where she was camping.

       "The flames were huge," Dawn Garofalo said. "They must have been 500 feet high. Scary."

       MORE: Gusty winds expected to spread massive wildfires in West

       Almost 100 wildfires are currently burning in the West, with the majority stretching from Northern California to western Montana, and there's potential for more to spark as existing ones spread.

       Much of the West is under critical fire danger alerts, with warnings issued for nine states from California to Colorado due to dry lightning threats and gusty winds that could reach up to 40 mph. Red flag warnings remain in effect through Thursday evening for dry and windy conditions.

       Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images

       A firefighter saves an American flag as flames consume a home during the Dixie fire in Greenville, Calif., Aug. 4, 2021. The Dixie fire burned through dozens of homes and businesses in downtown Greenville and continues to forge towards other residential communities as high winds whipped the flames onwards.

       The Dixie Fire has now scorched through more than 322,000 acres -- more than 428 square miles --- since it sparked on July 13 and is 35% contained.

       The River Fire near Colfax, California, which prompted evacuations for several thousand residents, had burned through 2,400 acres by and is 0% contained.

       Fifty structures have been destroyed by the River Fire and another 30 were damaged, according to Cal Fire.

       MORE: Wildfires in West prompt new evacuations as they spread through region

       Evacuations also have been ordered for the Monument Fire in Big Bar, California, and McFarland Fire in Wildwood, California. Both fires were spreading on Thursday.

       Temperatures in Northern California, where the fires are burning, are expected to get hotter on Thursday, with Redding forecast to approach 100 degrees over the next few days.

       Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images

       Buildings smolder as the Dixie fire rips through downtown Greenville, Calif., Aug. 4, 2021. The Dixie fire burned through dozens of homes and businesses in downtown Greenville and continues to forge towards other residential communities.

       Thermal, California, about 130 miles east of Los Angeles, reached 122 degrees on Wednesday, making it the hottest August temperature ever recorded in the region.

       Record highs also were reported in Palm Springs (122 degrees) and Kingman, Arizona (107 degrees).

       Excessive heat warnings are continuing for Nevada, California and Arizona, where temperatures are expected to reach 115 degrees on Thursday.

       ABC News' Marilyn Heck, Melissa Griffin, Max Golembo and Jenna Harrison contributed to this report.