Crews Fight to Keep Homes Safe as Thomas Fire Grows in California

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Firefighting crews continued to make slow progess in their efforts to contain Southern California’s massive 259,000 acre Thomas Fire in Montecito, California, on December 16.

After nearly two full weeks of burning through large swathes of the state’s southern region, crews had managed to bring the blaze – the third largest in state history – to 40 percent containment.

Despite the progress, high winds and persisting dry conditions could still mean big advancements for the fire. Officials have said that the northwestern edge of the blaze near Montecito, where this video was filmed, is still “very dangerous,” according to the LA Times. Credit: Dave Zaniboni, Santa Barbara County Fire via Storyful