WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A statewide emergency has been declared in California by the Governor as thousands of people were evacuated due to a fast-moving wildfire that is raging for the fifth day.
Some 180,000 people in the north have been ordered to leave their homes while mandatory evacuation orders have been issued for the City of Santa Rosa.
Roads around the city have been hit by traffic jams as people tried to flee in cars.
The Kincade Fire near Santa Clarita, 40 miles north of Los Angeles, broke out Thursday afternoon and is spreading beyond control towards south, as it is driven by high winds, California's fire and rescue officials said.
The fire is estimated to have engulfed more than 30000 acres of vegetation and several buildings. It has led to the evacuation of almost 200,000 people, and threatened homes and critical infrastructure.
Hundreds of fire fighters battled the fire, aided by air tankers and helicopters, reports say.
'We are deploying every resource available, and are coordinating with numerous agencies as we continue to respond to these fires,' said Governor Gavin Newsom. He urged people in evacuation zones to heed the warnings from officials and first responders.
The National Weather Service issued a 'red flag' warning for areas around the Kincade Fire, and said the conditions are ideal for wildfires, which is expected to last until Monday.
The fires also caused the biggest blackouts in California's history as nearly a million people in the state are without electricity as power companies switched off power supply as a precautionary measure.
The Governor stressed the need to hold utilities accountable for the consequences of their decisions to shut off power for large portions of the state.
He has announced a $75 Million Program for state and local governments to mitigate impacts of power shutoffs and unveil a series of new partnerships and new tools to help secure medically vulnerable populations during such emergency events.
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