Ventura County Fire Raging in California
Raging wildfires are burning across Ventura County in California, destroying at least 150 structures.
The Thomas fire, which began Monday evening near Santa Paula, Calif., has now incinerated about 45,000 acres and led to roughly 27,000 residents to evacuate, as of Tuesday afternoon.
California Gov. Jerry Brown has responded to the wildfire by declaring a state of emergency in Ventura County.
The following videos show some of the damage caused by the Thomas fire.
Fires engulf entire homes
In this video from NBC News, entire homes and neighborhoods are shown in flames. In one scene, a home burns while four palm trees appear to escape the flames for the time being.
People flee in their cars
A distraught woman took footage of people driving away from her neighborhood as the fire burns in the distance.
“You can see the flames,” she says as an ominous red and orange glow looms in the background. However, the footage doesn’t show the fire’s smoke, which she said is “coming from right over the hills.”
This is horrifying#ThomasFire #VenturaCounty #VenturaCalifornia #Tragedy #Devastation #VenturaFire pic.twitter.com/13uhfQVKEU
— Jennafer Cady (@jennafercady71) December 5, 2017
An apartment building in flames
CNN correspondent Sara Sidner shared via video on Twitter of the flames ravaging a hillside apartment complex. “Helpless residents watch praying their home covered in smoke is not next,” she wrote.
Flames devour an apartment building and other homes as winds send embers flying across the street. #VenturaFire Helpless residents watch praying their home covered in smoke is not next pic.twitter.com/ra4sw7PLQf
— Sara Sidner (@sarasidnerCNN) December 5, 2017
The hills are on fire
A Twitter user captured footage of the Ventura fire burning on a nearby hill. Rising smoke gives the appearance that a volcano just erupted.
#VenturaFire pic.twitter.com/PWYMfNWwQv
— Dave Vebber (@davevebber) December 5, 2017
Fire truck drives by the flames
In this video captured by local ABC News reporter Rob Hayes, a fire truck drives past a burning building.
It’s not very often you see #firefighters drive PAST a #fire. Too many homes on fire in #Ventura. 150+ structures lost. pic.twitter.com/G7FYxNdZsz
— Rob Hayes (@abc7robhayes) December 5, 2017
Aerial footage of the flames
A local ABC meteorologist shared aerial footage of the wildfire. There’s so much smoke in the air, it looks like the helicopter was flying through a hurricane.
Look at all that smoke! My friend flew over Ventura…check out that view of the #thomasfire! Thankfully, her husband (the pilot) is a Fire Captain so knows how to stay safe. pic.twitter.com/3hJWW7iV7f
— Kimi Evans (@abc7kimi) December 5, 2017
