Firefighters are continuing to battle blazes in Ventura and Los Angeles counties that broke out earlier this week, forcing more than 200,000 people to evacuate and destroying at least 160 structures.
The Thomas Fire in Ventura County is headed toward Ojai, and authorities said they are concerned that strong winds and dry air could fuel the flames for weeks. It has already burned 96,000 acres and is just 5 percent contained. While two smaller fires that broke out in San Bernardino County are now fully contained, two new fires erupted in Riverside and San Diego counties Thursday morning and afternoon. The Lilac Fire in northern San Diego County has already scorched 2,500 acres and torched 20 structures, fire officials said, the flames fanned by strong winds and growing at a "dangerous" rate. In Riverside County, the Liberty Fire has burned 300 acres in Murrieta and destroyed one building; as of Thursday evening it is 5 percent contained.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
'Stormy Monday for Don'Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
-
6 queer poets to read whenever but especially nowThe Week Recommends April is National Poetry Month
-
How women's pain is often ignored in health carethe explainer The gap in care is especially glaring compared to how men are treated
-
EPA limits carcinogenic emissions at 218 US plantsSpeed Read The new rule aims to reduce cancer-causing air pollution in areas like Louisiana's 'Cancer Alley'
-
Strong Taiwan earthquake kills 9, injures hundredsSpeed Read At magnitude 7.4, this was Taiwan's biggest earthquake in 25 years
-
EPA sets auto pollution rule that boosts EVsSpeed Read The Biden administration's new rules will push US automakers toward electric vehicles and hybrids
-
More than 150 people dead following earthquake in NepalSpeed Read The death toll is expected to rise as rescue workers continue digging through rubble
-
Nearly 1,000 birds dead in one night after striking building in ChicagoSpeed Read The birds died after colliding with the McCormick Place convention center next to Lake Michigan
-
At least 1 dead at Burning Man as thousands remain stranded from floodingSpeed Read
-
Earthquake rattles Southern California as Tropical Storm Hilary hitsSpeed Read
-
Hawaii reportedly downplayed threat of wildfires for years prior to Maui blazeSpeed Read
