Fire officials in California said that winds of "near hurricane force" have now grounded some of their water dropping aircraft, as firefighters in northern Los Angeles continue to battle a wildfire that has already forced thousands to evacuate and that has burned 10 homes.

The California Highway Patrol shut down a section of Interstate 5 near Sylmar early Saturday as flames spread west towards the freeway, marking the second freeway closing recently due to the fire.

5,000 residents in the area have been evacuated since the fire began late Friday. More evacuations are under way, and patients at one hospital were evacuated when the fire knocked out power.

A separate fire is also blazing through the Santa Barbara area community of Montecito, which began on Thursday 100 miles northwest of LA, and has since forced the evacuation of 5,400 homes. At least 100 homes have been gutted by the blaze. There have been no reported fatalities, however, 13 have been injured, three of which are suffering from burns and 10 suffering from smoke inhalation.

Montecito was ranked by Forbes magazine in 2006 as the seventh most expensive area in the US, with an average home price of $2.9 million, and is a popular home to celebrities and the well-to-do. Celebrities including Michael Douglas, Oprah Winfrey, Rob Lowe, and Jeff Bridges all own property in the area.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a state of emergency in Santa Barbara County, and Friday fire officials said that control of the Montecito fire was "nowhere in sight."