California fires: warnings for Los Angeles, progress up north

Firefighters made progress battling a fire raging in northern California's wine country on Wednesday as rare "extreme" red flag warnings were issued for much of the Los Angeles region.

The National Weather Service said powerful Santa Ana winds, with potential gusts of up to 80 miles per hour (130 kilometers per hour) in mountainous areas, had created "extremely critical" conditions in parts of southern California.

"We expect the Santa Anas to be howling," the NWS said.

A blaze in the Simi Valley northeast of Los Angeles known as the "Easy Fire" forced the evacuation of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and nearby homes, officials said.

Closer to Los Angeles, firefighters were battling the "Getty Fire," which began near the famous Getty Center museum on Monday and by Tuesday had burned 656 acres (265 hectares).

Authorities said the Getty Fire, which was caused by a tree branch that fell on power lines, had been 15 per cent contained but the strong winds had raised fears that wind-blown embers could spark further blazes.

"Adverse weather conditions will be the biggest challenge for firefighters," Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) spokeswoman Margaret Stewart said.

"In anticipation of the extreme Santa Ana wind event, the LAFD has recalled and staffed additional resources," Stewart said.

"These resources will be strategically placed in key locations that have a history of being prone to wildfire."