Dry Winds To Persist In Southern California Fire Areas

UPDATE 12/10/17, 2:37 p.m: (AP) - Forecasters say gusty, dry Santa Ana winds will continue in Southern California for at least another day in areas where crews are battling wildfires, including one that is threatening a seaside city.

The National Weather Service has extended red flag warnings until Monday night for parts of Ventura and Los Angeles counties. Powerful gusts are expected through late Sunday in mountains of Santa Barbara County, where firefighters are protecting homes from flames moving down hillsides toward coastal neighborhoods.

New evacuations were ordered Sunday for the city of Carpinteria, which has been under threat for days from a huge and destructive wildfire that's still pushing west nearly a week after breaking out.

Crews have made progress on other fronts of that fire and on separate blazes in Los Angeles, San Diego and Riverside counties.

UPDATE 12/9/17 1:16 p.m.: (AP) - California Gov. Jerry Brown says deadly and destructive wildfires in winter are "the new normal."

Brown on Saturday toured Ventura County neighborhoods ravaged by a weeklong wildfire that killed at least one person and destroyed hundreds of homes and other buildings.

At a news conference, Brown said drought and climate change mean California faces a "new reality" where lives and property are continually threatened by fire, at a cost of billions of dollars.

He added that gusty winds and low humidity are continuing and warned that there's a good chance of seeing "firefighting at Christmas."

He said it will take "heroic" efforts in the U.S. and abroad to stem climate change and urged U.S. lawmakers to pay more attention to dealing with natural disasters such as fires, floods and earthquakes.

Original Post: (AP) -   Authorities say they've counted some 800 homes and other buildings destroyed by wildfires ravaging Southern California for the past week.

Six fires driven by gusty Santa Ana winds have torched neighborhoods and rural communities from Ventura County north of Los Angeles all the way south to San Diego County.

One person died in a car crash Wednesday trying to escape Thomas Fire, the largest fire in Ventura County.

Authorities have called for new evacuations because of that fire, which is burning toward a sanctuary for the endangered California condors in Los Padres National Forest.

California Gov. Jerry Brown will survey damage from the Thomas Fire on Saturday and will meet with emergency management officials and residents.

On Friday, President Donald Trump issued an emergency declaration allowing counties affected by the wildfires to receive federal assistance.