Wildfires spread as California declares emergency

Strong winds are spreading multiple wildfires across parched parts of California as officials worry the gusts could ignite more blazes and force more evacuations in areas already under a state of emergency.

The Lockheed Fire in the Santa Cruz Mountains has blackened close to 8 square miles (20 square kilometres) of remote wilderness and prompted mandatory evacuations of the mountain communities of Swanton and Bonny Doon, which have about 2,400 residents and several wineries.