SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- The smoke has yet to settle in Southern California, where thousands are reeling from the devastating impacts of a series of ongoing fires in the Los Angeles area. As of Friday, the fires have burned more than 10,000 homes and other structures. Roughly 180,000 residents have been forced to evacuate, with some heading south to San Diego to escape the chaos. This comes amid air quality concerns as a grey plume of smoke, seemingly drifting southwest from Los Angeles into the Pacific Ocean, can be seen from space. Massive smoke plume billows from Los Angeles — is it headed toward San Diego? How close are the fires? The two major blazes burning in Los Angeles County, as of Friday, are the Palisades Fire, located in the Pacific Palisades community, and the Eaton Fire, located in the area of Altadena and Pasadena. The Palisades Fire, which is over 20,400 acres, is roughly 145 miles from downtown San Diego. Meanwhile, the Eaton Fire, which has spread over 13,900 acres, is about 129 miles from the city. Driving-wise, both fires are over two hours away. An emergency vehicle drives through a neighborhood devastated by the Eaton Fire, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/John Locher) The third largest spread blaze is the Kenneth Fire in the west San Fernando Valley near Hidden Hills, Woodland Hills and West Hills. This 1,000-acre fire is about 148 miles from America's Finest City. There is also the Hurst Fire in the suburban neighborhood of Sylmar. This fire is over 770 acres and is located around 143 miles from San Diego. Lastly, there is the Lidia Fire, a smaller blaze burning around 400 acres in Acton, an unincorporated area near the Antelope Valley that is roughly 171 miles from San Diego. San Diego Humane Society staff head to fire-stricken Pasadena to evacuate pets This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows homes damaged from the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (Maxar Technologies via AP) Evacuation options For those evacuating Los Angeles by vehicle, the most common route to San Diego is Interstate 5, which runs south along the coast. The cities are separated by approximately 120 miles, or about a two-hour drive under normal traffic conditions. Travel times can vary significantly, especially during rush hour or on weekends when the highways experience congestion. For those opting to travel by train, Amtrak offers a route between the cities that takes roughly two and a half to three hours, providing an alternative to driving. Additionally, there are frequent bus services between the two cities, with travel times similar to those of a car, ranging from two to three hours. There are also quick flights available for those who are looking to cut down on travel time. Non-stop air travel from Los Angeles to San Diego takes around 1 hour, not including time spent at baggage check and security gates. Real-time updates regarding the Los Angeles area fires can be found here.