A firefighter from the city of San Bernardino sprays around a home threatened by flames approaching Santa Teresita Way as a fire burns in Santa Barbara, Calif., on Thursday evening. (Reed Saxon/Associated Press)

A wildfire fanned by high winds continued to wreak havoc through Southern California on Friday, forcing thousands from their homes around Santa Barbara.

The fire had grown since the night before, when the area engulfed by the blaze measured 1,100 hectares, Santa Barbara County spokeswoman Jodi Dyck said Friday. She did not know exactly how large the fire was Friday morning, she said, although only 10 per cent of the blaze was considered contained.

The fire has jumped a major state highway and is moving closer to Santa Barbara's more densely populated lowland core, prompting officials to issue another round of evacuation calls.

Evacuation recommended for nearly 60,000

Around 12,000 people were evacuated Friday, bringing the total number of those obligated to leave their homes to 30,500. Evacuation has been recommended for another 29,000 people, sheriff Bill Brown of the Santa Barbara County sheriff's department said.

"We strongly urge anyone in the area to leave, as the potential for another breakout of the fire remains strong," Brown said. An estimated 75 homes have been destroyed or damaged in the blaze so far.

"The winds are going to be back today, but expected to be less intense," said the CBC's Steve Futterman, reporting Friday from the fire's front lines. "However, that was what the forecast was 24 hours ago after the first night of this fire, and the winds last night turned out to be just as intense as that first night.

While officials say they are having some success controlling the fire in certain regions, it is also moving into new areas. The suddenly windy conditions have put the city of Montecito under threat.

"[Saturday] is supposed to be a significant change in weather, so we're all keeping our fingers crossed," Montecito Fire Chief Kevin Wallace said. "If that weather materializes, we're going to be in a lot of trouble."

Officials say at least 11 firefighters have been injured, three seriously. Firefighters faced extreme conditions, as much of the fire was burning in rugged, inaccessible areas that are rich with thick, dry brush fuelling the wildfire.

Santa Barbara County fire Chief Tom Franklin said the damage could have been worse.

2,300 battling flames

"There maybe should have been hundreds of homes lost due to the amount of fuel in that canyon and the [110 km/h] winds," he said. "There was some real effort made on that fire front and some real saves that the firefighters made out there."

Around 2,300 firefighters were working on the lines Thursday in a bid to control the fire. They were aided by helicopters and aircraft that dropped water.

The fire began Tuesday, and appeared to be dying down through most of Wednesday. But gusts approaching 100 km/h hit the area later that day, fanning the blaze and pushing the flames into neighbourhoods around the town.

Santa Barbara, a city of 90,000, is located 160 kilometres northwest of Los Angeles. It dates to the Spanish colonial era and is a major tourist destination on the state's central coast.

With files from The Associated Press