how long ago did the dire wolf live
Approximately 125,000 – 9,500 years ago.
Dire wolf
The dire wolf lived in the Americas and China during the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene epochs (125,000–9,500 years ago). 
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Dire wolf [SEP] Introduction
The dire wolf ("Canis dirus", "fearsome dog") is an extinct species of the genus "Canis". It is one of the most famous prehistoric carnivores in North America, along with its extinct competitor, the sabre-toothed cat "Smilodon fatalis". The dire wolf lived in the Americas and China during the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene epochs (125,000–9,500 years ago). The species was named in 1858, four years after the first specimen had been found. Two subspecies are recognized: "Canis dirus guildayi" and "Canis dirus dirus". The dire wolf probably evolved from Armbruster's wolf ("Canis armbrusteri") in North America. The largest collection of its fossils has been obtained from the Rancho La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles.