California wildfire becomes state’s 3rd-largest, more evacuate

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A raging California wildfire became the state's third-largest on record on Saturday as fresh evacuations were ordered amid a resurgence of the harsh winds that have fueled the deadly blaze threatening to scorch 18,000 structures.

The so-called Thomas Fire has already destroyed more than 1,000 structures, including about 750 homes, in Southern California communities since erupting on December 4, state fire officials said.

Firefighters continue to battle the Thomas fire, a wildfire near Fillmore, California, December 14, 2017. /Reuters Photo

More than 8,000 personnel using nearly 1,000 engines and 32 helicopters were fighting the blaze that has become the seventh most destructive in the state's history, they said.

"This fire isn't letting up," the California Governor's Office for Emergency Management said on its Twitter feed. "Tough terrain, dry conditions, single-digit humidity, ripping winds make for difficult conditions this weekend."

Firefighters continue to battle the Thomas fire, a wildfire near Fillmore, California, December 14, 2017. /Reuters Photo

A new evacuation order was issued for parts of Santa Barbara County on Saturday as high winds whipped the fire through bone-dry terrain. The blaze is chewing up tall grass and brush as it spreads along the scenic Pacific Coast.

Mandatory evacuations were already in place in several Santa Barbara County communities, including Carpinteria and Montecito, and parts of Ventura County. An evacuation order for the city of Ventura, which was hit hard in the first days of the fire, was lifted on Saturday morning.

The Thomas Fire is only 40 percent contained, officials said. Among the places being threatened include the wealthy enclave of Montecito just outside the coastal city of Santa Barbara.

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Source(s): Reuters