The Ventura County conflagration now called Thomas Fire could rage on for a lot more than a week, say officials. The extending blaze is being aided by extremely dry conditions and the Santa Ana winds.
Burning acreage now approaches 100,000 acres, and Ventura County Fire Chief Mark Lorenzen said:
“Until the wind stops blowing, there’s really not a lot we can do as far as controlling the perimeter. This is a fight we’re going to be fighting probably for a couple of weeks.”
The 40mph winds have forced the fire within a mile of Ojai.
The Thomas Fire was merely one of the raging wildfires that continued searing through Ventura, Los Angeles, Riverside and San Diego counties on Thursday.
Authorities are now asking residents of the forested areas around Ojai to evacuate, but at least 15 Matilija Canyon dwellers have refused to move out.
A full tally of homes lost to the multiple fires is yet to be made. Current estimates still remain at “more than 150.”
The Thomas Fire and other wildfires have now exceeded the land damage caused by the Old Fire of 2003, where nearly 1000 homes were destroyed and at least 6 lives lost.
If it goes on much longer it could even exceed the 160,000 acres destroyed by the Northern California wildfires in October this year.
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