The Thomas Fire sparked near Thomas Aquinas College 15 days ago, and it continues to burn in its own quiet way.
As of Tuesday morning, the blaze had ravaged 271,750 acres — just a 750-acre increase from yesterday — in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, coming dangerously close to knocking down the records for the two largest wildfires in state history. The largest fire, the 2003 Cedar Fire in San Diego, had razed 273,246 acres by the time firefighters contained it.
Things are looking up for the 8,094 firefighters battling the Thomas Fire, though. The fire is now at 50 percent containment.