California wildfires wreak havoc

Firefighters in southern California continue to battle three separate wildfires that have destroyed hundreds of homes and forced thousands to flee.

The fires, to the north, north-west and south of Los Angeles have burnt through dry forest, hitting suburban areas.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger praised the quick response of the firefighters.

States of emergency were in place in four counties but calmer winds were helping fire crews contain the blazes.

More than 800 homes, ranging from multi-million dollar mansions to more modest mobile homes have been destroyed.

About 22,000 acres (8,900 hectares) have been scorched and 50,000 people have been ordered to evacuate their homes from Santa Barbara, north-west of Los Angeles, to the suburbs in the south-east of the city.

The worst of the fires is now to the south-east of Los Angeles in Orange and Riverside counties.

It broke out early on Saturday and quickly spread through a number of suburban communities running up into the canyons of Chino Hills State Park.

Firefighters were braving 50ft flame lengths as they swept across the mobile homes Los Angeles Fire Captain Steve Ruda Wildfire eyewitness: 'Hell on earth' In pictures: Los Angeles wildfire

Initially separate blazes have merged into what fire officials are calling the Triangle Complex fire. As of Sunday morning, it was mostly uncontained and had burnt through more than 10,000 acres (4,000 hectares).

About 1,200 firefighters are trying to contain the blaze which has already damaged or destroyed 150 homes, many of them in Yorba Linda.

Fierce winds of up to 80 mph (130 km/h) initially fanned the blaze, helping the flames jump canyons and spread into built-up areas.

Fire crews are expected to get some relief on Sunday as winds drop to between 25-45mph (40-72 km/h).

'Perfect storm'

Gov Schwarzenegger said states of emergency had been declared in Orange, Riverside, Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties.

The declaration allows state resources to be used to help local crews fight the fires and shelter people who have evacuated their homes.

He praised firefighters who have been fighting a "perfect storm" for the last three days.

Firefighters are hoping for relief from calmer winds

"With all these fires all over, this is usually what happens at this time of the year, when we have the perfect storm, which means basically we have high winds, high temperatures and very, very dry [conditions]".

He said another serious fire, centred on Sylmar in the San Fernando Valley, was 30% contained.

That fire broke out very late on Friday and forced 10,000 people to evacuate their homes. He said 9,400 acres (3,800 hectares) had been burnt and 630 buildings destroyed - included about 500 mobile homes that were completely incinerated.

Pillars of smoke

The fire jumped into the Oakridge Mobile Home Park from the adjacent Angeles National Park in the early hours of Saturday and raced from one mobile home to the other.

"It was an absolute firestorm," said Los Angeles Fire Department Captain Steve Ruda of the Oakridge blaze.

"Firefighters were braving 50ft flame lengths as they swept across the mobile homes," he told the Reuters news agency, adding that heat from the flames had melted his firefighters' hoses to the road.

"We have never lost in recent times anything close to this number [of homes]," said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Mr Schwarzenegger said 1,031 firefighters, 211 fire engines, 12 helicopters and 15 bulldozers were working to keep the flames away from the built-up areas.

The two fires have sent pillars of smoke into the air that can be seen across the Los Angeles area.

Television pictures showed entire hillsides ablaze and burning embers flying through the air, pushed by the high winds.

At least 11 injuries have been reported in the two Los Angeles fires, including nine firefighters.

No deaths have so far been reported, although Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton said he feared bodies might be found at the Oakridge Mobile Home Park.

Mr Bratton said rescue crews would have to wait for the ground to cool before bringing in search dogs to find any victims.

Mansions burnt

A fire burning since Thursday in Santa Barbara, on the Pacific coast about 90 miles (144km) north-west of Los Angeles, has been 40% contained, firefighters said.

Santa Barbara County spokesman William Boyer said 106 homes had been burnt in the city of Santa Barbara and another 77 in the adjacent community of Montecito - home to many wealthy celebrities.

Multi-million dollar homes have been turned into smouldering piles of rubble surrounded by a grey, ash-coated landscape in the secluded area that is home to celebrities including Oprah Winfrey and Michael Douglas.

Mr Boyer said about 1,500 acres of land had been scorched. At least 13 people have been treated for burns or smoke inhalation.

Such wildfires are an annual feature in southern California, but many officials say this year's have been the worst in decades.

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