Raging wildfire forces mass evacuations in California

Inferno-type Santa Ana winds pushed a rural wildfire from the hills of California into the city of Ventura overnight, destroying dozens of buildings, including a psychiatric hospital, and forcing thousands to evacuate.

About 45,000 acres were burnt to a crisp in 14 hours, and some homes were blazing out of control in the Pacific coast city home to more than 100,000 residents. Sheriff’s deputies knocked on doors throughout the night to warn residents to evacuate.

Still moving rapidly Tuesday morning, at least 10 homes and numerous trees and bushes were burning in one tony neighborhood on Ventura’s northern edge.

Evacuee Catherine Wastweet stood dazed amidst the thick smoke and flying embers, looking up to the foothills of her beloved neighborhood.

“We live up there … but we just don’t know whether our house is burned down or not, because we can’t even see through all of the smoke,” she told CNN.

The Ventura County Fire Department said the brush fire, named the Thomas Gire, was first reported around 6:30 p.m. Monday evening.

But raging Santa Ana winds, blowing between 40 and 60 mph, fanned the brush fire and carried its live embers into the city.

Authorities say at least one large apartment complex and the Vista Del Mar Hospital, a psychiatric facility, have already been consumed by the flames, the Los Angeles Times reported.