California fires: Two people burned in new blaze

December 7, 2017 at 22:43

Another new fire, just to the north of the Lilac Fire, had consumed 300 acres. That blaze, called the Liberty Fire, is 10% contained.

Carpinteria, California (CNN) - With weary firefighters continuing their assault on several major wildfires wreaking devastation across Southern California, two new blazes fired up Thursday, adding to the region's smoke-filled misery.

Two people were burned in one new hot spot, known as the Lilac Fire, which was about 45 miles north of San Diego. Officials didn't release the nature of the injuries to the burn victims nor give their conditions.

The 3,000-acre fire is moving at an "extremely rapid rate," and burning west toward the Vista and Oceanside communities, officials said.

A total of 20 structures were destroyed, according to Cal Fire. Many of those were mobile homes in a community next to where the fire started, said Ron Lane, the deputy chief administrative officer for San Diego County.

To the north in Ventura County, the numbers were much more ominous. The four-day old Thomas Fire had burned 115,000 acres and destroyed 439 buildings, damaging 85 others.