Ten of thousands people were evacuated in the north of Los Angeles on Thursday as a fast-moving wildfire driven by high winds erupted and raged out of control in northern California, according to California emergency officials.

The so-called Tick Fire near Santa Clarita, about 65 kilometers north of Los Angeles, broke out in the early afternoon and quickly consumed 2,023 hectares, fire officials said.

The blaze burned several homes and structures and forced the closure of a major highway and a number of roads, as some 500 firefighters backed by air tankers and helicopters battled the flames, according to fire officials.

The fire fighting will continue throughout the night, and it is expected that there will be strong winds in the night and Friday morning, local officials said at the press conference.