Wildfires in southern California have killed as many as 14 people and has destroyed around 600 homes.
Sparked by a combination of weather conditions and arson and fanned by the hot, dry Santa Ana winds and low humidity, major fires are raging in about a half-dozen places, having already burned more than 100,000 acres, threatened more than 30,000 homes across the region and caused millions of dollars in damage.
Conditions are expected to be no better today, with hottertemperatures and dry winds gusting to 45 miles per hour (72 kph) fueling the flames.
More roads and interstates are being closed by the hour as thousands of people were evacuated from homes, businesses and even juvenile probation camps to high schools, airport terminals and football stadiums.
The fast-moving fires affected aviation, with major airlines showing delays on flights into Los Angeles from other big regional airports like Phoenix. A spokesman for Los Angeles International Airport said there had been delays and said air-traffic control for the airport had been shifted to another regional centre.
California Gov. Gray Davis declared a state of emergency in Ventura and San Bernardino counties, north and east of Los Angeles, respectively, and asked US President George W. Bush to declare a "major disaster."
He was set to extend his declaration to Los Angeles and San Diego counties.