The true devastation of the Thomas Fire is beginning to reveal itself as the blaze continues to rip through large swathes of California.
Hundreds of homes in have been reduced to ash, two people have been killed and thousands of residents remain under evacuation orders.
With 70mph gusts of wind still whipping flames up into an inferno, the threat is far from over and the 8,000 firefighters attempting to tackle the blaze at the cost of $128million have only managed to contain around 45 percent of it.
The wildfire – now one of the state’s largest ever – has raged for more than two weeks and has already gutted 756 homes with 18,000 more in immediate danger.
Celebrities are among those to have been affected by the fire as multi-million dollar houses were torched and Rob Lowe offered a kind-hearted gesture to firefighters by cooking cheeseburgers and pasta for them.
A strong wind blows embers past inmate firefighters (dressed in orange) putting out hot spots at the Thomas Fire on December 16, 2017 in Montecito, California
A firefighter takes a cell phone picture during a wildfire in Montecito, California
Firefighting foam falls on inmate firefighters at the Thomas Fire on December 16, 2017 in Montecito, California
A firefighter puts out hotspots on a smoldering hillside in Montecito, California as strong winds blow smoke and embers inland
Celebrities are among those to have been affected by the fire as multi-million dollar houses were torched and Rob Lowe offered a kind-hearted gesture to firefighters by cooking cheeseburgers and pasta for them
A US Forest Service Hot Shot Crew from Ojai head down a fire break to work off East Camino Cielo as efforts to battle the Thomas Fire continue near Santa Barbara
Fire engines provide structure protection at the historic San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito
Among the homes to have already been destroyed by the fire is a multi-million dollar house at the top of Park Hill Lane in Monecito.
The once-lavish mansion has been reduced to cement blocks and a vague outline of the house.
Many celebrities have been evacuated, including Rob Lowe, Katy Perry and Oprah Winfrey, as firefighters continued to work around the clock.
Lowe took to Instagram to praise the work of the emergency services, saying: ‘Thank you to all the crews from across the country who stood tall and saved my town.’
While they will valiantly attempt to contain the blaze, officials conceded it won’t be completely under control until at least January 7, according to the LA Times.
Flames burn toward a home during a wildfire in Montecito
While crews got a break from slightly calmer winds yesterday afternoon in Santa Barbara County, much of the rest of Southern California was buffeted by powerful gusts that increased the risk across the region.
Jay Smith of California Fire told KTLA: ‘Last night was a good night for us.
‘We didn’t get the sundowner winds – it helped lay the fire down. It definitely is a turning point for us.’
The National Weather Service forecast red flag conditions for extreme fire danger through Sunday evening for Ventura and Los Angeles counties.
Trees came down after wind gusts topped 70 mph (113 kph) in mountain areas and 50 mph (80 kph) along the coast.
With winds threatening to bring down power lines and spark even more wildfires, Southern California Edison is considering turning off electricity to some parts of Malibu.
Utility spokesman Paul Griffo says the coastal city is particularly vulnerable if strong Santa Ana winds continue to batter the area.
As of Sunday evening, the fire had burned a total of 270,000 acres – around 422 square miles – as it inches ever closer to the undesirable title of the state’s biggest ever wildfire.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s wildfire list only stretches back to 1932 meaning the largest on record is the 2003 Cedar fire which sorched through 273,000 acres, killing 15 people.
Though, according to the LA Times, the 1889 Santiago Canyon fire is considered the biggest – burning 300,000 acres.
Firefighters standing guard and providing structure protection at a home off Gibraltar Road watch as a bucket full of water is dropped from a helicopter onto a hot spot nearby as efforts to battle the Thomas Fire continue near Montecito
Many celebrities have been evacuated, including Rob Lowe, Katy Perry and Oprah Winfrey, as firefighters continued to work around the clock. Lowe took to Instagram to praise the work of the emergency services, saying: ‘Thank you to all the crews from across the country who stood tall and saved my town’
A Bombardier 415 Superscooper making a water drop on hot spots along the hillside east of Gibraltar Road
Firefighting crew cut a line among homes at the Thomas Fire on December 16, 2017 in Montecito, California
A wind-driven hotspot fire burns on the west side below Gibraltar Road as smoke from a wildfire fills the air
Flames advance towards a large fire break near homes along Gibraltar Road north of Santa Barbara, California
Smoke from a wildfire drifts towards Santa Barbara Airport in the distance in Santa Barbara
A wind speed indicator held by a US Forest Service fire fighter on Gibraltar Road at the Fork of Cold Spring Trail, shows just how fast and varied the speed of the wind is blowing down the canyon
Firefighters from Kern County, California, work to put out hot spots during a wildfire Saturday
Tragically, the Thomas Fire has already claimed two lives.
A five-county funeral procession was held for a firefighter killed while battling the colossal wildfire that’s still threatening homes in Southern California.
An autopsy found Cory Iverson died from burns and smoke inhalation.
Firefighters and police stood at attention as Iverson’s body left the medical examiner’s office in Ventura County shortly after 10 am Sunday.
A funeral procession from Ventura to San Diego County was held for fallen firefighter Cory Iverson (pictured) on Sunday
Los Angeles city firefighters stand to attention and salute the Cal-Fire funeral procession of fallen Cal Fire San Diego engineer Cory Iverson Sunday
The procession wound nd through Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside and San Diego counties.
Iverson’s body was then taken to a funeral home in San Diego, where the 32-year-old was stationed.
The state fire engineer was killed Thursday by the fire.
The blaze is also blamed for the death of a 70-year-old woman who died in a car crash on an evacuation route.