More than 200,000 flee California wildfires

Wildfires have roared through Southern California for a fourth day running, forcing more than 200,000 people to flee their homes.

Canyons, hillsides and residential areas in densely populated areas have been affected, and the fires have destroyed hundreds of homes and forced many schools in Los Angeles to close.

Authorities fear that four major fires - ranging from LA up the Pacific coast to Santa Barbara County - may be whipped up by the region's notorious westward Santa Ana winds, which could reach hurricane strength.

The winds, which blow in hot and dry from the California desert, could reach 75mph and create "extreme fire danger", according to an alert from the countywide emergency system in Los Angeles.

The National Weather Service said high winds were not expected to die down until at least the end of Saturday.

The fires, which broke out on Monday and Tuesday, have reached the wealthy enclave of Bel Air in LA.

No civilian casualties or deaths have been reported but three firefighters were injured, the Los Angeles Fire Department said.

The Los Angeles Unified School District, the country's second largest with more than 640,000 students, said it closed at least 265 of almost 1,100 schools.

Dozens of schools have also been closed in neighbouring Ventura County, where the Thomas fire, the largest of the blazes, has charred more than 96,000 acres.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="502"] A horse was left behind after fires spread to the Kagel Canyon area.[/caption]

The fires have created apocalyptic scenes of flaming mountains and walls of smoke, with firefighters spraying water and helicopters dumping bucketloads in attempts to contain the flames.

In the San Fernando Valley north of LA, the Creek fire has destroyed at least 30 homes, blackened more than 12,000 acres and forced the evacuation of 2,500 homes and a health centre.

Another blaze, the Rye fire, threatened more than 5,000 homes and structures northwest of Los Angeles.