Two killed by wildfire

UPDATE: 1:45 p.m.

A wildfire roared through the bone-dry mountains of central California and gave residents little time to flee the flames that burned homes to the ground and killed two people, authorities said Friday.

Two bodies were found in Lake Isabella, a popular recreation area east of Bakersfield, said Phil Neufeld, a spokesman for Kern County Fire Department.

The wind-driven blaze destroyed at least 80 homes in the southern Sierra Nevada and scorched more than 29 square miles as it tore through neighbourhoods, exploded propane tanks and produced smoke that obscured the path to safety.

David Klaippel, 78, a retired police officer, said he didn't see much of a threat after receiving an automated call advising him to leave. That changed dramatically within an hour Thursday afternoon.

"I've never been so close to a fast-moving, ferocious fire. It was unbelievable," said Klaippel, who later learned his house had caught fire. "I almost didn't have time to get out."

Entire neighbourhoods of mobile homes were charred to their foundations. Heavy smoke hung over the lake Isabella, and winds pushed the flames farther into drought-starved terrain.

"The forces of nature collided with a spark," Kern County Fire Chief Brian Marshall said. "The mountainous terrain, five years of drought and wind gusts of over 20 mph all drove a fire over 11 miles in 13 hours."

Scorching heat and tinder-dry conditions across the West have ignited massive wildfires in the past week that have destroyed properties and driven residents from their homes in several states.

The California blaze quickly became one of the most devastating, forcing several thousand people to evacuate and putting some 1,500 homes in jeopardy.

Three firefighters suffered smoke inhalation, but no other injuries were reported.

Crews faced a blaze "of epic proportions" as they tried to protect neighbourhoods, Marshall said. Officials said they expect to find many more homes destroyed as the smoke clears and they do a more thorough check of smoulderingneighbourhoods.

Video from Thursday night showed homes fully engulfed and others already gone as propane tanks flared up and exploded. Flames could be seen in the steep, rocky hillsides early the next morning.

When daylight broke, whole neighbourhoods were reduced to rubble. Scorched cars sat on tireless rims and leafless trees poked from barren, blackened dirt.

Residents described a frantic flight from communities around the lake, a major destination for boating, fishing, rafting, hiking and camping.

Cachet Kirby, 22, of Mount Mesa, said she and neighbours grabbed clothes, blankets and their dogs, fleeing through thick smoke as flames charged down the mountains.

"It was to the point you couldn't see, you couldn't breathe," she said.

She and others, exhausted Friday morning after little sleep in shelters and cars, were desperate for information about their homes.

"We could have gotten lucky and the wind shifted, or our house could be burned down," Kirby said.

Cellphone service was cut off in many areas, contributing to the anxieties.

Very low humidity and gusty winds of up to 55 mph could worsen a blaze that broke out amid high temperatures and climbed over at least three ridges into hillside neighbourhoods, authorities said.

"I've never been in a wildland fire where I've seen so many homes burn," Kern County fire Capt. Tyler Townsend said. "It's one of the most devastating I've ever seen."