LOS ANGELES — Several wildfires continued to rage in Southern California Wednesday.
The largest of the blazes—the fast-moving Thomas fire in Ventura County—had charred more than 65,000 acres (24,000 hectares or 94 square miles), according to Cal Fire.
The fire began north of Santa Paula, near Steckel Park and Thomas Aquinas College, on December 4. On Tuesday, Governor Jerry Brown declared a State of Emergency in Ventura County, due to the Thomas Fire. “This fire is very dangerous and spreading rapidly, but we’ll continue to attack it with all we’ve got,” Brown said. “It’s critical residents stay ready and evacuate immediately if told to do so.
The fires mainly affected a forested, hilly area to the north of Ventura, but flames have encroached into the northern edge of the city. On December 6, Cal Fire estimated that 12,000 structures were threatened by fire.
Powerful Santa Ana winds intensified the fires. Forecasters with the Los Angeles office of the National Weather Service warned that the region is in the midst of its strongest and longest Santa Ana wind event of the year. They issued red flag warnings for Los Angles and Ventura counties through December 8, noting that isolated wind gusts of 80 miles (130 kilometers) per hour are possible.
Officials say no human fatalities were confirmed—but say that one dog has died.
INFERNO IN L.A: Scene Earlier Today In Southern California (LA County) pic.twitter.com/LWMKDW7Y83
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) December 6, 2017
Latest SoCal fire numbers: https://t.co/VHsF7uhhkb h/t @NBCLA #SkirballFire: 50 acres#CreekFire: 11,377 acres#ThomasFire: 65,000 acres#RyeFire: 7,000 acres, 5 percent containment pic.twitter.com/ZSCn96aWPX
— Brendan Weber (@BrendanNWeber) December 6, 2017
Sulphur Mountain Road Ojai #ThomasFire pic.twitter.com/M6xbBEdTng
— Trevor Quirk (@quirklawyers) December 6, 2017
Scene Earlier Today In Southern California (LA County) pic.twitter.com/zIy6Xh6xaa
— Breaking911 Nature (@B911Nature) December 6, 2017
Apocalyptic Scene In Southern California As Wildfires Continuepic.twitter.com/PPFmO9HTo2
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) December 6, 2017
WATCH: Powerful video shows devastation of SoCal wildfires
(H/t: @LiloEskimo)
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) December 6, 2017