Officials estimate that the Thomas Fire will grow to become the biggest in California history before full containment, expected by Jan. 7.
The devastating fire that began on Dec. 4 has killed at least two people including a firefighter. It's destroyed at least 750 homes and burned about 425 square miles in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, Fox News reported.
It’s burned hundreds of homes in coastal mountains northwest of Los Angeles. As of Tuesday, 432 people were still staying at evacuation shelters run by the Red Cross, agency spokeswoman Georgia Duncan said.
It continues to threaten 18,000 homes and other buildings.
The fire, which is only 55 percent contained Tuesday night, is only about 1,200 acres smaller than the state’s largest fire. That blaze, the 2003 Cedar fire in San Diego, killed 15 people.
State fire officials say the Thomas Fire is slightly larger than the 2012 Rush fire in Lassen County.
Firefighters say decreasing winds and higher humidity are helping them but brush in the area remains tinder-dry.
Crews were taking advantage of calm conditions Tuesday by performing a controlled burn to remove swaths of dry brush along the fire’s northern edge.
The county of Ventura, city of Santa Paula, city of Ojai and city of Ventura have proclaimed local emergencies, Fox 11 reported.
