Nearly six months after it started, the destructive and deadly Thomas Fire was officially declared out on Friday.
The fire, which began December 4th, was fully contained in January. It’s been more than two months since the last hot spots were detected in the perimeter of the nearly 282,000 acre blaze, the largest in the state’s history.
The Thomas Fire is blamed for two deaths, and the loss of more than a thousand structures in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. U.S. Forest Service officials say crews are now focused on repairing damaged roads, trails, and facilities.
The cause of the fire, which began in the Santa Paula area, is still under investigation.
