Massive wildfires that burned across Southern California on Wednesday have destroyed hundreds of homes, closed schools and set off mass evacuations. Five fires are currently ablaze, and the largest — the Thomas fire in Ventura County — has reached the Pacific coast after starting 30 miles inland, according to the Associated Press.
The Thomas fire erupted late Monday. By Wednesday morning, it had ripped through 65,000 acres, the Ventura County Fire Department said on its website. California Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency after at least 150 homes were destroyed, and 50,000 people were forced to evacuate.
Cal Fire officials reported that several of these fires ignited earlier this week and have now rapidly spread across 85-square-miles of land. Emergency responders dispatched quickly to evacuate residents and shut down roads, but the fires became unruly and violent. It’s been deemed unsafe, especially at the Thomas fire, for rescuers to enter the area.
