California wildfires: More than 80,000 people forced to flee homes as blaze tears through San Bernadino

A fast moving wildfire has forced the evacuation of more than 80,000 people from homes in San Bernardino, in Southern California to the east of Los Angeles.

The fire began as a small patch of flames beside Interstate 15 but quickly built into a ferocious blaze of 28 square miles.

Tens of thousands of homes are now at risk from what has been named the Bluecut fire.

Darren Dalton, 51, told Reuters: "This moved so fast.

"It went from 'have you heard there's a fire?' to 'mandatory evacuation' before you could take it all in. This is a tight little community up here. Always in rally mode. Suddenly it's a ghost town."

Hundreds of cars streamed away from the fire as smoke hung heavy in the air and the sound of explosions - possibly from ammunition stored in homes - echoed in the distance.

Eric Sherwin of the San Bernardino County Fire Department, said 82,000 people from more than 34,000 homes had been ordered to leave.

The blaze is the latest to erupt in California’s hot, dry hills - even before the fire season hits its peak. High winds have fanned dozens of fires, causing millions of dollars of damage.

Six firefighters were briefly trapped by flames at a home where the occupants had refused to leave, forcing the crew to protect the house, fire officials said.

"We were fully engulfed in smoke," county firefighter Cody Anderson told KCBS-TV. "It was really hard just to see your hand in front of your face."

He added they could do nothing but sit tight and wait for the flames to blow over.

He and a colleague were treated for minor injuries.

Jerry Brown, California governer, has declared a state of emergency in San Berdino, a move that will bring in federal assistance.

On Tuesday, investigators in Northern California revealed they had been building a case for a year against Damin Anthony Pashilk, 40, accusing him of multiple counts of arson.