At least three fires are devastating Southern California, devouring Ventura and Santa Ana counties with flames, and stifling surrounding counties, including Los Angeles, with smoke.

The fires began on Monday night and continued to spread throughout the day on Tuesday. So far, the Rye Fire in Santa Clarita has burned 1,000 acres, per ABC News. Santa Ana's Creek Fire has destroyed 11,000 acres, according to the Los Angeles Times. And the Thomas Fire, which has been burning the longest, has torn through a massive 50,000 acres in Ventura County.

There are 3 major brush fires burning in SoCal:



Thomas Fire: https://t.co/YS2IGenzUH

Rye Fire in Santa Clarita area: https://t.co/YMvQ1gHnnN#CreekFire near Sylmar/Lake View Terrace: https://t.co/gGrwL8unHN



Watch ongoing live coverage: https://t.co/TxMSbTKVFr pic.twitter.com/iv3AiYiqEc — ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) December 5, 2017

A man waters his home as firefighters battle a wildfire as it burns along a hillside near homes in Santa Paula, California. Image: RINGO CHIU/AFP/Getty Images

Michael and Vonea McQuillam stand beside their house that was burnt to the ground during the Thomas wildfire in Ventura. Image: MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images

All three fires and the massive amounts of smoke they're producing are visible from space.

NASA satellite shows smoke plumes and heat signatures (red dots) from the wildfires burning in the Los Angeles area on Dec. 5, 2017 Image: NASA WorldView

The fires have spread so quickly and grown so large thanks to the California weather phenomenon known as the Santa Ana winds. The east-to-west blowing winds come from the Pacific and tap into warm and dry conditions inland. The winds push against the air coming from the LA basin's eastern mountains, which compresses the wind and heat between the ocean and the mountains, further drying out vegetation that has dried out over the summer.

The phenomenon makes for dangerous fire conditions, which is now affecting residents across Southern California, from Ventura County to the north, and Santa Clarita and Santa Ana to the east.

The exact same place, before and during the #ThomasFire 😔



I’ve passed these palm trees so many times... Never thought I’d see them like this. pic.twitter.com/hzWtgdsbwt — Melina (@lalamelina) December 5, 2017

The Los Angeles Fire Department has ordered the evacuation of the 20.5 square miles including and surrounding the Creek Fire, which jumped the 210 Freeway and is threatening Santa Ana's Sylmar and Lake View Terrace neighborhoods. The Rye Fire in Santa Clarita prompted the shutdown of Highway 5. Reuters reports that hundreds of homes have been destroyed by the Thomas Fire.

The #CreekFire jumps the 210 Freeway at the Wheatland Ave. on-ramp in Sylmar. https://t.co/e7EtEcdpDK pic.twitter.com/0JMKOiyKUN — Los Angeles Times (@latimes) December 5, 2017

Across Southern California, people are packing up their homes, and rescuing and sequestering animals, to salvage what they can from the blaze. Some residents were even seen fighting the fire with water hoses. LA County Fire Chief Daryl L. Osby told the New York Times that “we are in an extreme firefight right now, trying to protect lives and save property.”

A home burns during the 'Thomas Fire.' Image: JOHN CETRINO/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

Horse lover Deirdre Somers has been voluntarily staying with a dozen horses displaced by #CreekFire. Says they're getting used to her but earlier some were 'kicking, and bucking and screaming. They're terrified.' pic.twitter.com/ZUGbXGmKnR — Josie Huang (@josie_huang) December 5, 2017

Firefighters put out a fire burning a home in Ventura. Image: Jae C. Hong/AP/REX/Shutterstock

On South Catalina St. a few hours ago on our roof.. never thought I'd ever see something like this so close to home. Be safe everyone. #ventura A post shared by Dewi Sinta (@derinimoon) on Dec 5, 2017 at 1:31am PST

UPDATE Dec. 5 4:59 p.m. PT:

Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti declared a state of emergency in the city late Tuesday, advising that the fire covered some 11,000 acres.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announces declaration of state of emergency in city due to wildfires. pic.twitter.com/rGEbKxxVY9 — NBC News (@NBCNews) December 6, 2017

Andrew Freedman contributed to this story.