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LOS ANGELES: California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday ordered the evacuation of about 200 homes in the fire-threatened coastal resort of Big Sur as 1,400 wildfires raged out of control across parts of the state.
Thousands of exhausted fire-fighters have been struggling to contain several blazes in the region 200 kilometres south of San Francisco, where popular tourist sites lie in and around the Los Padres National Forest.
"We have a very stubborn fire here," Schwarzenegger told a gathering of emergency services personnel in Big Sur, noting that two fire-fighters had been injured.
The area is a tourist mecca in summer, with scores of popular hiking and camping sites. Hundreds of hotels, resorts and restaurants boasting precious beachfronts and ocean views have closed due to the fire threat.
"So far 52,430 acres (21,200 hectares) have burned, three per cent only is contained so far, 20 buildings have been destroyed, and more than 1,400 structures are threatened," in and around Big Sur, the governor added.
A total of 19,000 emergency personnel are fighting the northern California fires, the first of which were sparked on June 21 by lightning strikes in the dry, hot wilderness.
No one has been reported killed by the fires, but the blazes have devoured at least 1,712 square kilometres, according to the state fire service CalFire.
Weather forecasters anticipated no relief in the coming days, with dry weather expected to continue through the week, and peak fire season just ahead in July and August.
US President George W. Bush declared a state of emergency for the entire state on Saturday and ordered federal aid to help authorities battle the fires.
- AFP/yb
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