Gusty Santa Ana winds foreca­st to whip up to 80 kphLOS ANGELES: California firefighting crews may face on Thursday another round of fierce gusts that have fed a volatile wildfire, one of the largest in the state’s history, as they protect homes from flames and build control lines. Firefighters wrestle to control massive California wildfire“Firefighters will remain engaged in structure defense operations and scout for opportunities to establish direct perimeter control,” the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said in a statement, noting that the fire threatened 18,000 structures. The Thomas Fire has traveled 43 km, blackening more than 953 square km in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, an area larger than New York City. The conflagration has destroyed 709 single-family homes, damaged 164 others and displaced more than 94,000 people. Many public schools in the Santa Barbara area canceled classes this week and will not reopen until the annual winter break is completed in January.

Source: The Express Tribune December 14, 2017 11:15 UTC