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California surfers brave wildfire smoke to catch waves

Surfers in a California seaside community hit the beach to catch waves, despite smoke-filled skies from a looming wildfire.
Image: A smoke-filled sky filters orange light around a surfer
A surfer walks along the beach in Carpinteria, California on Tuesday.David McNew / Getty Images

Surfers in a California seaside community hit the beach to catch waves, despite smoke-filled skies from a looming wildfire. Some surfers wore masks for protection.

The so-called Thomas fire, one of several burning around the state, has burned over 900 structures, at least 700 of them homes. And it has stretched across nearly 370 square miles of territory, making it the fifth largest in state history.

Image: A smoke-filled sky filters orange light around surfers
Surfers carry their boards along the beach on Tuesday.David McNew / Getty Images
Image: A smoke-filled sky filters orange light around a surfer
A surfer rides a wave surrounded by a smoke-filled sky.David McNew / Getty Images

As the fire straddling Santa Barbara and Ventura counties entered its 10th day, crews had carved containment lines around one-quarter of it.

Tens of thousands of people remain evacuated, including many from the seaside enclaves of Montecito, Summerland and Carpinteria and the inland agricultural town of Fillmore.

Photos: California coast battles massive wildfire

Image: A smoke-filled sky filters orange light around a dog on the beach
A dog runs along the beach in Carpinteria.David McNew / Getty Images