Wildfires force evacuation of 300 homes in California

Jul 31, 2010, 8:47 GMT

Los Angeles - Firefighters used water-dropping helicopters and a plane to battle one of California's worst wildfires of the year on Friday.

More than 1,700 firefighters sought to contain the 3,200 hectare Crown wildfire in Los Angeles County's High Desert.

The blaze damaged several structures and forced the evacuation of 300 homes, the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday.

Despite the efforts of firefighters, less than one quarter of the fires had been contained, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said during a visit to the scene late Friday.

So far containment efforts have prevented the flames from reaching residential areas, although the blaze threatened high-power lines that bring electricity to much of southern California.

Fire officials said wind gusts up up to 80 kilometres per hour were making it difficult to halt the spread of the Crown fire, which broke out Thursday afternoon.

Dry air and temperatures over 30 centigrade were adding to the problems.

Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency Wednesday, a day after another fire broke out Tuesday afternoon in a remote mountainous territory.