What to Know
- As of Wednesday night, 90,000 acres have been scorched and over 50,000 residents have been evacuated.
- 150 structures have been destroyed and 12,000 others are threatened.
- There are 1,776 firefighters battling the blaze.
This story is no longer being updated. For the latest information on the Thomas Fire, click here.
The Thomas Fire in Ventura County grew to 96,000 acres Wednesday even as firefighters made progress, gaining 5 percent containment on the third day of the blaze.
Officials planned to launch 11 helicopters and two planes to fight the fire that has been burning in rugged steep terrain of Ventura County since Monday night.
[LA - STRINGER UPDATED 12/25] Photos: Thomas Fire Burns in Ventura, Santa Barbara Counties
The Thomas Fire, named because it started near Thomas Aquinas College, was reported Monday evening. It quickly grew amid high winds. It killed a family pet and injured a firefighter. Some 50,000 homes have been evacuated and tens of thousands lost power.
The fire destroyed least 150 structures. One of those was the Vista del Mar Hospital, an 83-bed mental health facility at 801 Seneca St. All patients were evacuated safely, but the majority of buildings were left to be nothing but smoking husks.
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The blaze shut down access to Santa Barbara from Ventura after officials closed the northbound 101 Freeway to all traffic. The southbound side was closed at Bates Road at the Santa Barbara County line. Officials said the freeway will be shut down until the fire passes.
While red flag warnings are now scheduled to expire Friday, "long range computer models are showing the possibility that the Santa Ana winds could persist into Friday or Saturday, which may require the extension of the red flag warning," according to an NWS statement.
Mandatory Evacuations:
All residents within the following boundaries were under mandatory evacuations:
- City of Santa Paula - Boundary of Say Road north to Thomas Aquinas, Dickenson Ranch Road east to Santa Paula Creek
- City of Santa Paula - Boundary of Monte Vista Street north to city limits, Foothill Road from Steckel to Peck Road to north of city limits
- City of Santa Paula, east - Timber Canyon Road off Highway 126
- City of Santa Paula, east - Toland Road off Highway 126
- City of Santa Paula, east - Hall Road off Highway 126
- Santa Paula unincorporated area towards Ventura- North of Foothill Road from Peck Road to Wells Road including: Wheeler Canyon, Aliso Canyon and Rancho Vista
- City of Ventura - Teloma east to Brent Street, Telegraph Road north to north of Foothill Road
- City of Ventura - Victoria Road east to Hill Road, Telegraph Road north to Foothill Road
- City of Ventura - North Ashwood Avenue east to Hill Road, Telegraph Road north to Foothill Road
- City of Ventura - North of Foothill Road from Wells Road to Poli Street
- City of Ventura - North of Main Street from Seward Avenue to Hwy 33 (includes entire Ventura Avenue area)
- West of Hwy 33, north of West El Roblar Drive
- Oak View - Boundary of Hwy 33, Creek Road and Hermosa Road
- Entire Community of Casitas Springs - Evacuate to Ventura County Fairgrounds - 10 West Harbor Blvd., Ventura
- East Ojai Valley - Carne Road east to McAndrew Road, Reeves Road north to Thacher Road
- East Ojai Valley - all areas east of Hwy 33 and north of Hwy 150, with the exception of Ojai Valley Community Hospital
- Upper Ojai Valley - Hwy 150 from Dennison Grade east to Osborne Road and all residences north
- Ventura County North Coast Area - Boundary of Hwy 33 on the north to Casitas Vista Road, northwest to Hwy 150, Hwy 150 (Casitas Pass Road) west to US 101 and south on US 101 (including Pacific Coast Highway) to Emma Wood State Beach
- Carpinteria, Santa Barbara County - Eastside of the 150 Hwy from Rincon Hill Road to Hwy 101
- Carpinteria, Santa Barbara County - Bates Road
- Carpinteria, Santa Barbara County - Camino Carreta
- Carpinteria, Santa Barbara County - Rincon Part Road
- Carpinteria, Santa Barbara County - Rincon Part Lane
Voluntary Evacuations:
- Residents in the City of Ventura, south of Loma Vista, east of Day Road, West of Victoria Avenue and north of Telegraph Road
- Residents in the City of Ventura, east of Victoria north of Loma Vista South of Foothill west of Wells Road
- All residents of the Ojai Valley not currently covered under the current mandatory evacuation
- City of Fillmore - Boundary of 2nd Street north to 4th Street and Island View Street east to Pole Creek
- City of Fillmore - Boundary of 4th Street on the south to Pole Canyon Road, Pole Canyon Road northeast to Goodenough Road, Goodenough Road south to 5th Street and 5th Street southeast to 4th Street
- City of Fillmore - Boundary of Hwy 23 and the Santa Clara River south to Guiberson Road, Guiberson Road east to Torrey Road and Torrey Road north to the Santa Clara River
Evacuation Shelters:
- City of Ventura - Ventura County Fairgrounds at Miners Building (Red Cross - Includes an Animal Shelter for all types of animals) - 10 W Harbor Blvd, Ventura, CA 93001
- City of Ojai - Nordhoff High School (Red Cross) -1401 Maricopa Hwy, Ojai, CA 93023
- City of Ojai - Ojai Valley Community Hospital - 1306 Maricopa Hwy, CA 93023
- City of Oxnard - Oxnard College Gymnasium (Red Cross)- Open 12/5/17, open at 7 a.m.
- City of Santa Paula - Santa Paula Community Center (City of SP run shelter) - Open at 8 a.m.
- City of Fillmore - Veteran's Memorial Bldg (City of Fillmore run shelter), 511 2nd Street - Will be open 12/6/17 at 8 a.m.
- UC Santa Barbara - Santa Barbara Multi Activity Center, 552 University Road, Santa Barbara, CA
