A total of six major fires are now burning, and flames are heading south toward Santa Barbara and San Diego. Firefighters on Thursday battled raging wildfires across southern California that have forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes, including residents on the outskirts of Los Angeles, America’s second-largest city.Winds with hurricane-force gusts of up to 80 miles per hour (130 kilometers per hour) fueled the blazes, creating apocalyptic scenes of hillsides engulfed in billowing smoke and towering plumes of flame.Despite the intensity of the fires, only one fatality has been reported so far. Tim Lohman of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office said an unidentified body had been found overnight.A total of six major fires are now burning, and flames are heading south toward Santa Barbara and San Diego.Officials said the strong winds fanning the fires are forecast to last through Saturday, making for extremely dangerous conditions.
