Fire crews clear brush as they work to slow down the spread of the Maria Fire on the Santa Clara river bed, in Santa Paula. (Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times)
A water drop is made over of the Maria fire between Santa Paula and Saticoy. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
A giant plume of smoke from the Maria fire rises above homes in Somis. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
A plane drops fire retardant on the Maria fire seen between Santa Paula and Saticoy. (Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)
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A view of the Maria fire from Santa Paula on Thursday night. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Firefighters work to control flames from a backfire during the Maria fire in Santa Paula. (Josh Edelson / AFP via Getty Images)
Firefighters work to control flames from a backfire during the Maria fire in Santa Paula. (Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times)
This remote-camera photo posted on the Ventura County Fire Department’s Twitter page shows the beginning of the Maria fire at an antenna farm atop South Mountain near Santa Paula. (Associated Press)
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There was one silver lining — the fire broke out when winds were easing. Had this area ignited just 24 hours earlier, “we’d be talking about 50 mph to 60 mph winds, and that’s a whole different ballpark,” a fire official said. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Others get a unique look at the Maria fire on Thursday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
A helicopter flies over the Maria fire in Santa Paula on Friday. Authorities issued mandatory evacuations for a swath of homes on Thursday night. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Firefighters spray water on a backfire while battling the Maria fire early Friday. Ventura County is already dealing with the Easy fire, which started Wednesday. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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The Maria fire broke out as crews continue to battle multiple fires across Southern California. (Marcus Yam/ Los Angeles Times )
Firefighters monitor a backburn as they work on the Maria fire in Santa Paula on Friday. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Onlookers gaze at the Maria fire on Thursday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
By early Friday, the Maria fire had grown to more than 8,000 acres. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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Firefighters confer near the Maria fire on Friday morning. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
