Photos: The Maria fire in Ventura County

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)

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)

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)

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)

Firefighters confer near the Maria fire on Friday morning.  (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)