A wind-driven wildfire destroyed several homes and forced hundreds of residents to flee in the California coastal town of Santa Barbara, officials said.

Local television footage showed several hillside homes in the exclusive region north of Los Angeles engulfed in flames and thick smoke as the fast-moving fire swept across the area.

Santa Barbara County Fire officials said at least one person had been injured in the blaze, while around 2,000 people were ordered to evacuate after the fire began on Monday.

Some 1,300 firefighters backed up by five helicopters were tackling the blaze, which had scorched 196 acres (79 hectares).

California is frequently hit by scorching wildfires due to its dry climate, Santa Ana winds and recent housing booms which have spread rapidly into rural and densely forested areas.

Devastating wildfires in 2007 in California were among the worst in its history. The fires killed eight people, gutted 2,000 homes, displaced 640,000 people and caused one billion dollars in damage.

Last November at least 100 homes were destroyed by a wildfire in the celebrity enclave of Montecito near Santa Barbara.