- At least one person has been killed as a result of the wildfire
- Thousands have been evacuated from their homes in California
- More than 150,000 homes left without power, reports say
- Wildfire covering 10,000 acres in Ventura County, officials said
- The Thomas fire broke out on Monday night
Bringing you the latest news and live updates as a wildfire rages in Ventura, California, USA. (All times PT)
1.52am: Strong winds pushing blaze towards cities
Santa Ana winds of up to 70mph are spreading the wildfire towards the cities of Santa Paula and Ventura, where about 140,000 people live, officials have warned.
“We’re really just trying to catch it around the edges and just pinching it off as quickly as we possibly can,” Ventura County firefighter Jason Hodge told the Los Angeles Times.
1.38am: First fatality of wildfire confirmed
Ventura County Fire Department (VCFD) has confirmed that at least one person has died as a result of the Thomas wildfire in southern California.
The fire service tweeted: “ThomasFire – confirmed 1 Fatality associated with this fire from a automobile accident.”
An ABC affiliate has reported that the motorist was killed fleeing the blaze.
1.09am: Evacuations continue as wildfire spreads
About 1,000 homes being evacuated in East Ventura, according to the county’s fire department.
Authorities have warned that the blaze, known as the Thomas Fire, will start impacting East Ventura from about 1am local time.
The VCFD tweeted that the wildfire’s acreage has been increased to 10,000 acres.
12.57am: Students evacuated from California school
Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula has evacuated all its pupils and cancelled all classes tomorrow.
The Catholic school tweeted: “All students were evacuated, first to Sacred Heart Church, then to homes of friends, faculty & alumni. Classes for tomorrow have been canceled.”
12.30am: Map shows where California wildfire could spread
The National Weather service has warned that strong winds are likely to make the Thomas wildfire even more damaging as the day progresses.
The shocking map above shows gusts of up to 70mph battering southern California – an area where low humidity could see the wildfire spread even further.
NWS Los Angeles tweeted: “Potentially the strongest and longest duration Santa Ana wind event so far this season (Mon-Thu).”