Second town in California threatened by wild fires

Nov 15, 2008, 12:41 GMT

Los Angeles - Wild fires in California spread to a second city on Saturday after ravaging hundreds of luxury homes the day before.

According to firefighters cited by US media, 5,000 people had to be evacuated from the town of Sylmar just north of Los Angeles as bush fires approached. One man suffered severe burns, US broadcaster CNN reported.

The fires were being driven strong winds, said Deputy Fire Chief Don Fraser, adding that the fires was moving faster than a human could run.

Around 1,000 homes were threatened by the flames in the Sylmar area, with 15 already engulfed.

On Friday, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency as more than 1,000 firefighters battled a wildfire near the celebrity hideaway of Montecito.

Up to 200 houses had been destroyed by the wind-driven flames by Friday night while 13 people were injured and residents from more than 5,400 homes were evacuated. A number of residents suffered from smoke inhalation. One man was reported dead in the area, though it was not clear if the fire was the cause.

Hundreds of firefighters continued to battle the blaze in the Montecito area, with witnesses reporting flames at high as 30 metres.

The fire broke out Thursday evening and had burned around 1,000 hectares by Friday morning. Firefighters poured into the area from around the US state to battle the flames, aided by hundreds of fire engines, nine helicopters and 10 air tankers, said Terri Nisich, Santa Barbara County's assistant executive officer.

Montecito is situated in the coastal mountains just outside Santa Barbara, about 145 kilometers north-east of Los Angeles and is famous as the home to stars such as Oprah Winfrey and Rob Lowe.