439 Buildings Burned In Fire Northwest Of LA
VENTURA, Calif. (AP) -- Fire officials say at least 439 homes and other buildings have burned in a wildfire northeast of Los Angeles.
The wind-whipped blaze has burned nearly 180 square miles (466 square kilometers) in Ventura County stretching from hilly forests to the Pacific Ocean. It is only 5 percent contained and gusty Santa Ana winds that have driven the fire are expected to continue.
Officials Thursday night say they have made good progress battling much of the fire but that thousands of homes remain in jeopardy.
One section of the blaze continues to move toward the communities of Santa Barbara, Carpinteria and Montecito.
It's the biggest and most destructive of the windblown fires raking Southern California. Another fire that erupted Thursday in San Diego County has burned two people and destroyed at least 20 homes.
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