Thomas Fire Still Burns In CA; 30% Contained

VENTURA COUNTY, CA -- Fire officials gained ground on the massive Thomas wildfire Wednesday morning with containment reaching 30 percent. As of Thursday afternoon, the fire stood at 242,500 acres, which is the fifth largest wildfire in California's history.

The wildfire broke out more than one week ago and quickly scorched through Ventura County before reaching Santa Barbara County this week. It forced tens of thousands of evacuations and killed one woman in Ventura County, officials said.

As of Wednesday, 921 structures were destroyed while 200 were damaged. Another 18,000 structures were being threatened, fire officials said.

Nearly 8,000 crew members from throughout the U.S. were called to battle the West Coast fire that officials say is seven times the size of San Francisco.

Fire officials have begun investigating the cause of the Thomas Fire and others that have burned through Southern California during the state's worst fire season in history.

--Photo: In this photo provided by the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, fire burns canyons and ridges above Bella Vista Drive near Romero Canyon as the fight to contain a wildfire continues in Montecito, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2017. (Mike Eliason/Santa Barbara County Fire Department via AP)