CARPINTERIA: Powerful gusts of wind and bone dry conditions remainer overriding concerns for Californian firefighters on Wednesday as they seek to tame a huge blaze that has destroyed hundreds of homes.

The Thomas Fire has travelled 43 km since it began on Dec.4 to become the fifth-largest wildfire in state history. It has charred more than 953 square km of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, an area larger than New York City.

A break in the hot, dry winds on Tuesday sapped the fire’s forward momentum and allowed crews to prevent further damage to homes.

But adverse weather will “promote significant fire growth (and)... hamper control efforts” on Wednesday, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said in an evening advisory.

The fire, which was 25 per cent contained, will continue to threaten the coastal communities of Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Summerland and Montecito as powerful Santa Ana wind gusts and humidity of less than 10 per cent will remain in the forecast until Friday, Cal Fire and the National Weather Service said.

Some of the 7,800 firefighters deployed against the blaze on Tuesday took advantage of the better weather to set controlled burns in a canyon near Carpinteria to deprive the flames of fuel, Cal Fire Captain Steve Concialdi.

In Washington, where members of the House of Representatives met Vice President Mike Pence to discuss the crisis, Representative Julia Brownley said all resources had arrived to fight the blaze, which could take another week to contain. Her district includes Ventura.

Reuters