A wildfire was still raging in Santa Barbara about 128 kilometers northwest of Los Angeles on Thursday, forcing thousands of people to flee for safety, authorities said.

Firefighters spray water on the rubble of a house that burned during the Jesusita fire in Santa Barbara, California May 7, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

The department said the number of evacuees could double later in the day as the fire would get worse due to another round of howling winds expected later in the day.

More fire crews were called in from around the state to battle the blaze. Currently 1,394 firefighters were battling the blaze.

“We really can’t do any containment lines. It’s too dangerous,” Santa Barbara County fire Capt. David Sadecki said. “We’re doing some structure protection, but firefighters can be in a safe location one minute and in a dangerous situation the next.”

As the fire escalated, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in Santa Barbara County on Wednesday, freeing federal emergency funds.

Schwarzenegger will tour the devastated neighborhoods later in the day as firefighters brace for more heat and wind.

The National Weather Service has issued a high-wind warning for the Santa Barbara coastal area, predicting winds of 40 to 58 mph at times from Thursday through Friday morning.

The fire broke out Tuesday in wild lands and spread through brush north of the city. For most of Tuesday and early Wednesday, the fire seemed relatively tame, but roared to life Wednesday afternoon when “sundowner” winds picked up.

VietNamNet/Xinhuanet