California firefighting crews may face another round of fierce gusts that have fed a volatile wildfire, one of the largest in the state's history, as they protect homes from flames and build control lines.
The so-called Thomas Fire, already the state's fifth-largest blaze of its kind on record, threatened the communities of Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Summerland and Montecito early after destroying more than 700 homes since it began on December 4, fire officials said.
"Firefighters will remain engaged in structure defence operations and scout for opportunities to establish direct perimeter control," the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said in a statement, noting that the fire threatened 18,000 structures.
Gusty Santa Ana winds were forecast to whip up to 80km/h early in the morning and peak during the day before decreasing by evening, while warm temperatures and single-digit relative humidity persist, the National Weather Service said in an advisory.
The weather conditions will "contribute to extreme fire behaviour. Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly," the weather service said in an advisory.
The Thomas Fire has travelled 43 km, blackening more than 953sq km in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, an area larger than New York City.
The conflagration has destroyed 709 single-family homes, damaged 164 others and displaced more than 94,000 people. It was 30 per cent contained as of Wednesday.
Some of the other fires burning over the past week in San Diego and Los Angeles counties have been largely brought under control.
