Fast moving brush fire explodes to more than 10,000 acres in southern California

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- Fast moving brush fire exploded to more than 10,000 acres (40 square km) Monday night in Ventura County in the western U.S. state of California, threatening homes in nearby cities and leading to the death of one person.

Some 1,000 homes are currently being evacuated in East Ventura, according to Ventura County Fire Department.

"Mandatory evacuations ordered for East Ventura, north of foothill Road. The rapid rate of the spread will push this fire into that area within a few hours," said Ventura County Fire Department at 11:20 p.m. local time (0720 GMT Tuesday) on the Ventura County Fire Department's public information officer account.

Fire officials confirmed one death linked to the fire, without providing any details except saying it's from a automobile accident.

At least two buildings had been reportedly burnt in the fire.

Ventura County Sheriff issued a mandatory evacuation order earlier for 613 homes due to the raging fire threatening the cities of Santa Paula and Ventura, 110 km northwest of Los Angeles downtown.

The blaze, dubbed the Thomas Fire, broke out shortly before 7:00 p.m. (0300 GMT Tuesday) in the area of Thomas Aquinas College and Stekel Park, both in the city of Santa Paula, and then burnt along both sides of Highway 150, which was subsequently closed by the authorities.

Pushed by powerful winds, the fire has grown dramatically in size within a few hours after it started.

The local San Luis Obispo Tribune newspaper reported that the Ventura County Fire Department requested help from surrounding firefighting agencies, and numerous strike teams of fire-engines and other resources were en route to the blaze.

Night-flying-capable helicopters were requested from Los Angeles and other areas, but two helicopters were forced to land at Santa Paula Airport due to the 50+ miles per hour (85 km per hour) winds.

"Waiting for winds to slow down so we can get back in the fight," according to a tweet from the account of the Ventura County Aviation Unit.

Two evacuation shelters have been set up in nearby regions as hundreds of people are fleeing their homes threatened by flames. Enditem