Thomas Fire becomes California's largest wildfire on record

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- A dynamic brush fire in southern California, the United States, dubbed the Thomas Fire, became the largest wildfire on record in state history, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE).

Over the past 18 days, the fire has scorched 273,400 acres (1,106.4 square km), surpassing the 2003 Cedar fire in San Diego County, which burned 273,246 acres (1,105.8 square km).

A total of 1,063 structures were destroyed and 280 structures damaged to date by the fast moving Thomas Fire, which broke out in Ventura County on Dec. 4, CAL FIRE reported Friday.

The fire claimed the life of a firefighter and a civilian who died in a vehicle accident while trying to evacuate.

The Thomas Fire continues to burn and was only 65 percent contained as of Friday. Fortunately, the fire has not been as destructive as the Cedar fire, which destroyed 2,820 structures and killed 15 people in 2003.

Brush fires across the region were fed by extremely high winds, low humidity, warm temperatures and dry fuel. More than 200,000 Californians were forced to evacuate by multiple fires, including the Thomas Fire.

California Governor Jerry Brown requested a major disaster declaration to bolster ongoing state and local recovery efforts in response to the wildfires on Wednesday.

California has endured an unprecedented fire season thus far. Brown has proclaimed a state of emergency for 19 fire events throughout the state since July, and there have been over 8,747 fires in California since January. Enditem