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LOS ANGELES - A California wildfire fanned by powerful winds burned out of control today in the celebrity seaside enclave of Malibu, forcing hundreds of people to flee and destroying a handful of multimillion-dollar homes.
The fire burned nearly 1,000 acres by 11:30am (6.30am NZT) and destroyed six buildings, including a landmark castle-like house and a Presbyterian church. No injuries were reported.
"This fire is zero-per cent contained, which means we are at the mercy of the winds," said Malibu Mayor Pamela Conley Ulich.
Malibu, a town of about 13,000 residents, is 40 km west of Hollywood and home to legions of entertainers who flock there for the privacy of the beachfront homes or expansive canyon ranches complete with equestrian centers.
Los Angeles County Fire Chief P. Michael Freeman said the fire was expected "to last a couple of days and literally thousands of homes are going to be threatened."
Residents said the predawn fire took them by surprise and gave them little time to pack belongings and get out.
"We were in the house and the fire was burning all around us," said Malibu philanthropist Lilly Lawrence, whose Castle Kashan was engulfed by the flames after she and a house guest escaped.
"The loss is way up in the double-digit millions," Lawrence said in an interview, noting the home contained family heirlooms, paintings and Elvis Presley memorabilia bought from his Graceland estate.
More than 400 firefighters were battling the fire as it hopscotched from mountainside canyons to the beach, where two homes burned after embers landed on them.
But Freeman said he was moving ground and air crews around to fight other blazes in southern California fueled by famous fierce Santa Ana winds that blow in through the canyons.
There was no confirmed cause for the fire, which authorities have named the Canyon Fire, but Freeman said there was speculation that downed power lines might have sparked it as wind gusted around 60 mph.
The Santa Monica mountains above Malibu are tinder dry as Southern California comes out of one of its driest years on record with rainfall around one-fifth of average.
Malibu zip code '911'
Evacuations were mandatory only for a few canyons, although hundreds were leaving the area voluntarily.
Pepperdine University, near the commercial center of Malibu, was under voluntary evacuation but moved thousands of students to safe areas on the campus that was built with the high wildfire risk in mind. Students were given gauze masks for breathing protection.
Local CBS news reported that a gated community that was evacuated is home to actor Mel Gibson and singer Olivia Newton John.
Wildfires are so common in Malibu that actress and resident Shirley MacLaine once joked the postal zip code should be changed to "911" -- the phone number for emergencies.
In January, a much smaller wildfire in Malibu destroyed four houses.
Authorities told people to avoid Malibu beaches. But surfers were seen in the water taking advantage of the waves powered by high winds.
- REUTERS
