Thousands ordered to evacuate as wildfire burns homes in California

The fire grew from less than half of a square mile to 16 square miles (62 square kilometres) in little more than five hours.

A firefighter watches as flames from the Mountain Fire consume a home in Camarillo, California (Noah Berger/AP)

California was lashed by powerful winds on Wednesday that fed a fast-moving wildfire, which destroyed dozens of homes and forced thousands of residents to flee as forecasters warned of the potential for “extreme and life-threatening” blazes.

Northwest of Los Angeles, the Mountain Fire exploded in size and prompted evacuation orders for more than 10,000 people as it threatened 3,500 structures in suburban communities, ranches and agricultural areas around Camarillo, according to a statement from Governor Gavin Newsom.