Wildfire threatens Los Angeles, hundreds flee homes

Los Angeles: A raging wildfire on the northern hills of Los Angeles has forced hundreds of people to flee their homes as flames spread to 8,100 hectares of land in the area, officials said.

The authorities on Saturday afternoon urged the local residents to move to safer places on the outskirts of the Los Angeles city. The raging fire has threatened hundreds of houses at the foothill.

One person was severely burned when powerlines fell on a ranger station. The victim was helicoptered out of the site, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said.

A cloud of smoke over the northern side of Los Angeles could be spotted from as far as San Diego, 128 km south of Los Angeles.

Firefighters have rushed to the site to put out the blaze.

"This is a very dangerous situation that we are in right now," said Mike Dietrich a forest official.