Wildfires scorch nearly 7,000 acres in California

Aug 16, 2009, 15:46 GMT

San Francisco - Two wildfires in California continued to spread Saturday, after scorching more than 6,800 acres in the state. But fire officials said they were 30 per cent contained.

A state of emergency was declared in the Santa Cruz mountains about 100 kilometres south of San Francisco. The declaration will allow money and aid to quickly be put toward the firefight.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who on Saturday visited the area near the Lockheed fire in Santa Cruz county, said: 'California has the best and bravest firefighters working on the front lines to protect our citizens and I am confident that they will beat back these fires like they have done in years past.'

More than 1,500 firefighters were working to contain the blaze in difficult-to-access valleys and canyons near the Pacific coast. Officials said fire fighters had limited access to the perimeter of the blaze.

Between 2,000-2,400 residents were asked to evacuate the area. The cause of the fire, which broke out Wednesday, remains unclear.

In May, a large fire near Santa Barbara destroyed 77 homes.