Local news outlets are already reporting deaths.
At around 10pm local time (or around 6am GMT), a fire broke out near the city of Santa Paula, which is located about 60 miles from downtown Los Angeles.
Since it was first reported, the blaze has now engulfed approximately 10,000 acres of land.
The fire continues to spread towards more populated areas, and local officials are concerned that it will reach the limits of the city of Valencia by about 1am local time (or 9am GMT).
Evacuation orders have already been put in place, but they will need to be stepped up massively should the fire not be under control by the time it reaches Valencia, as that city has a population exceeding 100,000 people.
The LA Times are reporting that the fire has already resulted in at least one death, with over 260,000 in the area currently without power.
More to follow.
#BREAKING #ThomasFire in Ventura County now estimated at 5,000 acres as evacuation orders continue to expand https://t.co/St88y724Aa pic.twitter.com/LcvhTDfNnF
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) December 5, 2017
Copter 6 & 7 enroute to a large fire in Santa Paula. @VCFD @VCSOVentura @VCSORomanoBassi pic.twitter.com/MvrY2R7TwG
— VenturaCoAirUnit (@VCAirUnit) December 5, 2017
Whole city of Santa Barbara out of power. The city lost power at the exact same time Santa Paula lost power. Likely #ThomasFire related. Absolutely wild
— Travis Schlepp (@travischlepp) December 5, 2017
#BREAKING Mandatory evacuations issued for Ventura neighborhoods due to #ThomasFirehttps://t.co/k3oNih7acs pic.twitter.com/aAwrLcXKhg
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) December 5, 2017
#ThomasFire – Incident Command expect this fire to impact East Ventura by 1 AM. Updated acreage is now 10,000 acres. #VCFD @VCFD
— VCFD PIO (@VCFD_PIO) December 5, 2017
Main image via YouTube
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