More than a thousand firefighters tried to douse the Thomas Fire in California in the United States on Wednesday evening, even as another, the Skirball Fire, erupted in a wealthy locality of the southern part of the state, Reuters reported.
Officials ordered 700 homes in the Bel-Air neighbourhood of Los Angeles to be evacuated as another fire consumed at least 475 acres there. The flames spread close to landmarks such as the University of California, The New York Times reported.
The Thomas Fire, which has been raging in Ventura County since Monday, has already destroyed more than 150 homes and spread to 90,000 acres. California Governor Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency.
No casualties have been reported so far, but the fires have forced mass evacuations and more than 2.5 lakh homes in Ventura County have lost power supply. Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The Skirball Fire burnt down a building at a winery owned by billionaire media entrepreneur Rupert Murdoch. The blaze has destroyed at least six houses.
Both the wildfires – fanned by the hot and dry Santa Ana winds – have been 5% contained.
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