The Latest on wildfires in California (all times local):6:50 a.m.Officials say the massive wildfire that California has been battling since early December is now the third-largest in the state's history, with 259,000 acres (405 square miles) burned so far and the flames only 40 percent contained. In terms of acreage consumed, the fire that started on Dec. 4 now exceeds the devastating Rim Fire in 2013 by 2,000 acres. Steve Concialdi of the Orange County Fire Authority says the region has had "red flag" conditions for an unprecedented 13 consecutive days. ___The fourth-largest wildfire in California history continues to grow and threaten thousands of homes despite armies of fire crews and fleets of bulldozers and aircraft. And the fire is so large that winds on one end may be gustier than those on the other side.

Source: Fox News December 16, 2017 15:22 UTC