Southern California fires spread, causing more road closures and evacuations

The Thomas Fire and Creek Fire in Southern California continue to rage and grow, creating imagery that many are describing as apocalyptic or a Mordor scene from J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings.” Roadways continue to close and mandatory evacuation orders have expanded.

As of 11:48 a.m. local time, the Thomas Fire has grown from 45,000 acres to 65,000 acres and remains at 0 percent containment, according Ready Venture County, a PSA campaign by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services.

According to Ready, around 150 structures have been destroyed, with nearly 2,000 public safety personnel working to contain the fire.

Not the typical morning commute… pic.twitter.com/kJIOQeqsIK

— A. Mutzabaugh CMT (@WLV_investor) December 6, 2017

Ventura County is reporting road closures continue to impact Highway 150 and Highway 33, as well as many other city and county roads. The California Highway Patrol is reporting the following closures:

• Hard Closure – SR-150 from Santa Paula to Ojai
• Hard Closure – Foothill Road at Olive/Cummings/Wells/Briggs (Santa Paula/Ventura area)
• Nye Road coming from Highway 33

Evacuations have been extended to include Santa Paula, Ventura, Oak View, Casitas Springs, Ojai Valley, Santa Paula unincorporated area towards Ventura, and Ventura County North Coast area.

The Creek Fire in Los Angeles County has burned more than 11,000 acres as of 8:35 a.m. local time on Wednesday, up from 4,000 acres the previous day.

CalTrans District 7 is reporting the following road closures:

• Northbound Interstate 405 from US 101 to Interstate 10
• Interstate 10 connectors to northbound I-405
• Westbound Interstate 210 Sunland Boulevard off-ramp

According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, more than 400 firefighters are on the scene. Three LAFD firefighters have been injured and transported to the hospital in stable condition. Fortunately, the fire has not claimed any lives as of press time.

Approximately 30 structures have been destroyed by the Creek Fire, 20 in Kagel Canyon and 10 in Los Angeles. That count is likely to increase as safety personnel are currently focused on saving lives and defending property that is still standing.

Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for areas north of I-210 from Glenoaks Blvd. off-ramp/Sombrero Canyon, north of I-210 to Sunland Blvd east to Day Street south to far eastern side at Lowell Ave. Also, south of I-210 between Wentworth and Sunland, west to include Shadow Hills community.