The latest maps show a series of wildfires near Los Angeles as well as evacuation zones for America’s second biggest city on the West Coast.
The largest blaze, Thomas Fire, has scorched more than 90,000 acres of land in Ventura County, which about miles (80 km) north-west of Los Angeles.
Strong Santa Ana winds have fanned the flames, forcing some 200,000 people to evacuate their homes, according to local media.
The map below shows which parts of Ventura County have mandatory evacuation orders and the locations of the nearest refuge centres. There are also evacuation maps for the Creek fire.
Winds picked up to 80mph in Venture County on Thursday and, despite the best efforts from firefighters, the Thomas inferno remained just five per cent contained today.
“We are in the beginning of a protracted wind event,” Ken Pimlott, director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), told the Los Angeles Times.
“There will be no ability to fight fire in these kinds of winds.”
Thomas Fire is currently east of Santa Paula and north of Oxnard, though westerly winds look set to help the blaze on its destructive path toward the city of Los Angeles.
Ventura County Sheriff Department’s Eric Buschow said the flames are now starting to close in on Ojai – a small town beloved by spiritual seekers, health enthusiasts and celebrities.
CBSLA’s Crystal Cruz reported that the flames looked like an erupting volcano.
“We’ve been hearing sparks and loud booms and we think it’s power lines or transformers that have caught fire and blasted off,” she said.
“The fire was on top of the hillside and now it’s much closer, huge flames ripping down the mountain, sending smoke and flames west. It almost looks like a volcano erupted with lava flowing down the hill.”
Meanwhile, the Creek Fire has destroyed at least 30 homes, consumed more than 12,000 acres and forced the evacuation of 2,500 homes and a convalescent centre.
LA mayor Eric Garcetti announced earlier that Creek Fire evacuation areas are being expanded to the area east of Oro Vista, west of Seven Hills Drive, north of Foothill Boulevard and south of Angeles National Forest.
“Los Angeles Fire Department is using ambulances for evacuations where needed in the new areas,” he added.
Maps also show the Rye Fire, which threatened more than 5,000 buildings northwest of Los Angeles.
The Rye Fire is 10 per cent contained, but has already devastated 7,000 acres.