Thomas Fire Now the 5th Largest Fire in California History as It Burns 359 Square Miles; Containment Drops to 10%

(Worthy News) – The Thomas Fire became the fifth largest fire in California history on Sunday as it scorched over 230,000 acres, or 359 square miles, prompting evacuations in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, authorities said.

Containment dropped from 15 percent to 10 percent, officials announced Sunday evening.

The blaze has so far destroyed 790 structures, threatening 18,000 more, Cal Fire said. More than 94,600 people have been evacuated or sheltered, and some 5700 personnel have been deployed, according to the agency. [ Source: KTVA (Read More…) ]

A look at the California wildfires’ jaw-dropping numbers

Barely two months after fires charred Northern California’s wine country, the state is once again staring down a spate of wildfires, this time in Southern California. These fires are fueled by some of the strongest Santa Ana winds in recent memory.

This year has been the costliest for wildfires in the United States, with more than $10 billion in damages before the current Southern California fires began. [ Source: Fox61 (Read More…) ]