Thomas Fire: New evacuations ordered in Santa Barbara County

MONTECITO, Calif. -- New evacuation orders have been issued in Santa Barbara County on Saturday, as the Thomas Fire continues to expand.[br /][br /]In the city of Santa Barbara evacuations were ordered in the area east of Hwy 154 to Mission Canyon Rd and north of Hwy192 to East Camino Cielo. In the Montecito and Summerland Area, residents south of Hwy 192, North of Hwy 101, West of ToroCyn, East of Summit Rd & Country Club. In both Santa Barbara and Montecito, evacuations were in place north of Alameda Padre Serra/Hwy 101, south of Hwy 192, east of Mission Canyon Road, & west of Hot Springs & Summit Road.[br /][Ads /][br /][twitter ID="942079389222817792" /][br /][br /]"Residents should leave immediately," Santa Barbara County officials tweeted.[br /][br /][twitter ID="942099360451399681" /][br /][br /]Cal Fire officials also confirmed all mandatory and voluntary evacuation orders in the city of Ventura have been lifted.[br /][br /]The evacuation orders come as fire crews gain some ground on the fire, which has reached 40 percent containment, Cal Fire officials said. Full containment is expected to be reached Jan. 7.[br /][Ads /][br /]The blaze is still threatening about 18,000 structures as it surges through Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.[br /][br /]The cost associated with battling the fire is 103,912,000 so far, according to Cal Fire.[br /][br /][b]VIDEO: Aerial footage shows before-and-after look at destruction from Thomas Fire[/b][br /][media ID="2757915" /][br /][br /]Since breaking out on Dec. 4, the Thomas Fire has burned 259,000 acres and has destroyed more than 1,000 structures.[br /][br /]The fire claimed the life of a firefighter [/url]on Thursday. The firefighter was identified as Cal Fire San Diego Unit Fire Apparatus Engineer Cory Iverson, according to Cal Fire Director Chief Ken Pimlott.[br /][br /][b]PHOTOS: Thomas Fire devastates Ventura County[/b][br /][Ads /][br /][media ID="2740744" /][br /][br /]The winds have also shifted, and smoke from the fire is moving down into Simi Valley and the San Fernando Valley.[br /][br /]Fire weather combined with high fuel loading, low fuel moistures and single-digit relative humidities will continue to support fire growth in the west, east and north sides of the Thomas Fire, Cal Fire officials said, prompting areas of concern above the coastal Santa Barbara County communities of Matilija Wilderness, Rose Valley, and Sespe river drainage north of Fillmore.[br /][br /][tagboard ID="abc7eyewitness/395955" /]