Southern California wildfire largest on record

Los Angeles, Dec 23 (IANS) The wildfire, which has razed 273,400 acres in southern California so far, has become the largest wildfire in the state since records began.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said that the Thomas fire, which began on December 4, had surpassed the fire Cedar, which had burned 273,246 acres in San Diego county in October 2003, reports Efe news.

Records of the area destroyed by wildfires have been kept by the organisation since 1932.

Thomas has destroyed 1,063 buildings and killed two, compared to the 2,820 destroyed by Cedar and 15 deaths caused.

Although during the first few days Thomas was difficult to control and spread rapidly through Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, in the last few days emergency services have managed to practically stop the wildfire's progress and have contained 65 per cent of the flames.

This year is turning out to be California's worst year for wildfires on record, mainly because of massive fires in October in several counties in the northern part of the state, which ravaged many wineries in Napa and Sonoma counties.

Those fires claimed the lives of 44 people and destroyed close to 8,900 houses and structures, according to the final estimates of the authorities.