The Thomas Fire in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties has burned an area larger than NYC. According to officials it’s 10% contained. Photo: CAL Fire
Fires continue to rage across Southern California, and the largest among them, the Thomas Fire in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, has reportedly scorched an area the size of New York City.
As of Sunday evening the fire has burned 230,000 acres since it began, and is the fifth largest fire in recorded state history.
Aided by gusty Santa Ana winds, the blaze grew by more than 50,000 acres Sunday, and according to officials is only 10% contained. Still, progress is being made.
“(It was a) very successful day on the fire line,” Mark Brown, an operations section chief for California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, told CNN.
Across the state, the fires have forced more than 190,000 people to evacuate their homes, though some evacuation orders have recently been lifted.
As early as last Tuesday, California Governor Jerry Brown had declared a state of emergency due to the size and rapid acceleration of the fires in the southern part of the state.
In a recent news conference, Brown cited climate change could be to blame for exacerbating California’s risk.
“This could be something that happens every year or every few years,” he said. “We’re about to have a firefighting Christmas.”
On Friday, President Trump declared a state of emergency in California, ordering additional federal aid from the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA.
Courtesy of CNN, here’s the latest on each of the six fires scorching SoCal:
Thomas Fire: The largest of the fires has scorched 143,000 acres after starting Monday in Ventura County. It’s 10% contained. It’s also spread into Santa Barbara County. The blaze ranks as the 19th most destructive fire in the state’s records. It’s the biggest in Los Angeles since the Bel-Air fire in 1961 torched the homes of the rich and famous.
Creek Fire: The second-largest blaze ignited a day later in neighboring Los Angeles County. It has burned 15,323 acres and is 20% contained.
Rye Fire: It broke out Tuesday in Los Angeles County and has burned 6,000 acres. Firefighters are making progress, with 35% of the blaze contained.
Lilac Fire: This fast-moving fire consumed 4,100 acres in a few hours after erupting Thursday in San Diego County. It exploded from half an acre to 500 acres in 20 minutes, according to San Diego County Supervisor Bill Horn. It’s 0% contained.
Skirball Fire: It started Wednesday as a brush fire in Los Angeles County and is now 30% contained.
Liberty Fire: The blaze in Riverside County has burned 300 acres since it ignited Thursday. It’s 5% contained.
