Hundreds of thousands of people have been evacuated and thousands of homes remain at risk tonight as wildfires tear through southern California, US authorities said.

Celebrities like Mel Gibson, Kelsey Grammer and Victoria Principal have been forced to flee their homes in Southern California driven out by unstoppable brush fires that are devastating the region.

CHILLY temperatures and dense fog helped stall the deadly wildfires that raced across Southern California yesterday as a few hardy residents waited nervously to see if the flames would claim the last sizeable town still under threat.

Arsonists are to blame for at least three of the raging fires in southern California that have so far claimed the lives of 20 people and destroyed more than 2,600 homes, authorities said.

WITH towering flames bearing down on southern California mountain towns, firefighters last night dug in to protect hundreds of homes while praying for more help from lower temperatures.

With towering flames bearing down on Southern California mountain towns, firefighters dug in to protect hundreds of homes today praying for help from lower temperatures.

THE hot Santa Ana wind that has been driving California’s most destructive wildfires in history was giving way to cooler, more humid conditions yesterday, but that did little to tame the blazing tide as crews fought to save more homes.

POWERFUL Santa Ana winds kicked up before dawn yesterday, driving a ferocious firestorm that had already burned at least 200 homes onto a path toward more neighbourhoods.

Powerful winds drove two ferocious firestorms that had already burned more than 200 homes into dozens more houses in California today.