Firefighters are battling five blazes throughout Los Angeles, Ventura, and San Diego counties.
Firefighters are battling a series of out-of-control wildfires in Los Angeles, Ventura, and San Diego counties, and the blazes are showing no signs of slowing.
A new fire, the Lilac Fire, broke out in San Diego County on Thursday evening, prompting further evacuations and school closures.
State officials say more than 168,000 acres throughout the region are burning from five major blazes. Over 5,000 firefighters have been deployed to combat the fires, and authorities have closed major highways, canceled school, and ordered close to 200,000 people to evacuate.
The fire danger was a 296 on the brush burning index on Thursday — a record high, according to CNN. The figure is calculated based on a range of factors including moisture levels, wind, and humidity. A rating above 162 is considered the most extreme risk.
While high winds subsided somewhat on Friday, forecasters are expecting gusts of about 60 mph.
Tech: 5 major fires are raging in Southern California — here’s the latest size, location, and damage of each
