Firefighters in Southern California trying to control a wildfire that has destroyed more than 130 structures in two days are hoping the current weather forecast is correct and the fierce winds that have fanned the flames subside by Friday.

The Mountain Fire that started Wednesday morning in Ventura County had grown to 20,485 acres (about 83 square kilometers) as of Friday morning, with only 5% contained.

About 10,000 people remain evacuated as the fire continues to threaten 3,500 structures in suburban neighborhoods, farms and agricultural areas around Camarillo, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) away.

Red flag warnings were issued in certain parts of the region earlier this week, indicating conditions for high fire danger. Some warnings expired Thursday night, while others in the mountains will expire at 11 a.m. local time on Friday as winds hopefully decrease.

Other parts of the country, including New England, are also under red flag warnings on Friday as the region continues to experience drought-like conditions, increasing the risk of wildfires.

The California Mountain Fire has so far damaged at least 88 structures and destroyed about 132, the majority of which were homes. Officials did not specify whether the buildings were burned or affected by water or smoke. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

When local resident Joey Parish returned to the site of his former home of more than two decades in Camarillo Heights, all that remained was a portion of the burned-out steel frame.

“It’s tough, it’s very tough to know how to process the emotions,” he told KNBC-TV on Thursday. He had been evacuated with his wife and their cat. “Neither of us has been able to cry yet,” he said.

“What I have on my back is what I came out with,” he said. “My cell phone, and not even a charger, and not a toothbrush – nothing.”

Ten people suffered smoke inhalation or other non-life-threatening injuries, Ventura County Sheriff James Fryhoff said.

County fire officials said crews working in steep terrain with support from water-dropping helicopters focused on protecting homes on hills along the northeastern edge of the fire near the city of Santa Paula, where more than 30,000 people live.

Officials in several Southern California counties urged residents to watch for fast-spreading fires, power outages and downed trees during the latest round of infamous Santa Ana winds.

Santa Anas are dry, warm and gusty northeasterly winds that blow from inland Southern California toward the coast and offshore, moving in the opposite direction of the normal onshore current that carries moist air from the Pacific Ocean. They usually occur during the fall months and continue through the winter and into early spring.

Ariel Cohen, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard, said Santa Ana winds were easing at lower elevations but remained gusty at higher elevations Thursday evening.

The Santa Anas are expected to return early to mid next week, Cohen said.

The Mountain Fire raged in a region that has seen some of California’s most destructive fires over the years. The fire quickly grew from less than half a square mile (about 1.3 square kilometers) to more than 10 square miles (16 square kilometers) in just over five hours on Wednesday.

California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Ventura County.

Due to the high fire danger, California utilities began turning off equipment to try to limit the risk of ignitions after a series of massive and deadly wildfires in recent years were caused by power lines and other infrastructure.

Ventura County Schools also announced this week that all area schools would be closed on Thursday and Friday.

Other parts of the country, such as parts of the Northeast including New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, the District of Columbia, Maryland and New Jersey, are under red alerts until Friday evening.

According to the National Weather Service, the combination of gusty winds, very low humidity and dry conditions increases the likelihood of fires spreading quickly.

In New Jersey, firefighters are trying to control several large wildfires across the state.

New Jersey has been under a drought warning for the past two weeks as the region continues to experience below-average rainfall.

Earlier this week, New York City officials issued a citywide drought warning, directing city agencies to update and prepare water conservation plans and urging the public to help conserve water.

On Thursday, authorities in Massachusetts declared a major drought in parts of the state.

Rebecca Tepper, Secretary of State for Energy and Environmental Affairs, said this fall season “felt different.”

“Climate change will sometimes bring drier weather to our state and sometimes extreme precipitation,” she added.

In Massachusetts, the dry weather pattern is making for a historic fall fire season, state officials there said, adding that the state experienced 203 wildfires in October alone.

Rainfall was well below average for October across much of the Northeast, with many locations recording the lowest rainfall on record.

The Associated Press contributed to the reporting