Strong winds to blame for fire’s unceasing havoc

VENTURA, Calif. — Firefighters continued to battle blazes across a large swath of Southern California on Saturday, and state officials warned that continued high winds into Sunday could create erratic fire conditions, leaving residents with little chance of a reprieve from the flames and smoke that have lasted nearly a week.

The Thomas Fire remains the largest active wildfire in the state, having burned through nearly 150,000 acres and taking with it more than 500 buildings and at least one life. Though officials began lifting evacuation orders in Ventura, residents in Carpinteria and Santa Barbara were still under threat.

Officials said that expected winds, which had been pushing the fires toward populated areas, remained a concern.

Washington Post