Calm days bring gains on giant California blaze

A respite from powerful winds allowed firefighters to reach 50 per cent containment of southern California’s enormous wildfire, but officials warned that potentially dangerous gusts would return.

Crews taking advantage of calm conditions were performing a controlled burn Tuesday to remove swaths of dry brush along the fire’s northern edge.

“We’re going to take a lot of that fuel out of there,” fire Capt. Rick Crawford said. “That way when the winds come back there’ll be nothing left to burn.”

Residents near the city of Ojai could see new smoke from the controlled burn, Crawford said.

Hot, gusty winds that caused a huge flare-up and forced more evacuations last weekend are expected to whip up again Wednesday.

The fire northwest of Los Angeles has spread to about 1,095 square kilometres, making it the third biggest in the state since accurate records were kept starting in 1932. The largest, the 2003 Cedar Fire in San Diego County, burned about 1,105 sq. kilometres.

Officials estimate that the Thomas Fire will grow to become the biggest in California history before full containment, which is expected by Jan. 7.

Some evacuations were lifted Monday, and Crawford said more residents are being allowed to return Tuesday.

However he cautioned that hillside homes are still threatened near the city of Santa Barbara.