SHOTLIST:

La Canada Flintridge

1. Mid of fire fighters battling blaze near house

2. Pan from flames to fire fighters battling flames with water hose

3. Close of fire fighter using water hose

4. Close of flames

5. Wide of house, pan to fire fighter battling blaze

6. SOUNDBITE: (English) David Jensen, home owner:

"I used to live on the other side of the town and I had a fire come close, but never this close. This, they said, is going to burn right to the wall of our house and they're going to hit it right at the last minute."

7. Various of blaze

8. Rear shot of fire fighters looking at flames

9. Various of fire fighters meeting

10. Pan of fire fighter looking at smoke, talking to colleagues

11. Rear shot of fire fighter looking at smoke

12. Wide of smoke near house

13. Wide of fire engine

14. Fire fighter talking to residents

15. SOUNDBITE: (English) David Endaya, Fire Captain, Ventura City Fire Department:

"I reported to duty yesterday morning in the city of Ventura at 7 a.m. (14:00 GMT), and now it's coming up on nine, ten o'clock (16:00/17:00 GMT) the next morning so we've been on since yesterday at 7 a.m. (14:00 GMT)."

(Question: Anything else you'd like to add?)

"No, we're just glad to be here. We realise a person's home is their life and with lives and property to protect and we're glad to come out here and help when these large incidents occur."

La Crescenta

16. Pan of children and local residents inside Red Cross shelter

17. Mid of women inside shelter

18. SOUNDBITE: (English) Susan D'Amaro, resident:

"The fire was out of control, they were worried about where it was going to go, it was a little bit unpredictable so they wanted to clear everyone out of the area."

19. Mid of people inside shelter

STORYLINE:

Wildfire threatened 12-thousand suburban homes and rained ash on cars as far away as downtown Los Angeles on Sunday, spreading in all directions in hot, dry conditions.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger urged those in the fire's path to listen to authorities and get out.

Firefighters trained their attention on the blaze's fast-moving northern front as more evacuations were ordered in the Los Angeles suburbs.

A massive plume of smoke could be seen for miles and bits of ash descended on cars as far away as downtown Los Angeles.

For the third straight day, humidity was very low and temperatures were expected in the high 90s (high 30s Celsius).

Some two-thousand firefighters were battling the blaze.

The regional air quality agency issued a smoke advisory, warning all residents who live near the wildfire to remain indoors and avoid strenuous activity.

Officials said air quality in the foothill communities around La Canada Flintridge was unhealthy, bordering on hazardous.

People with heart or lung conditions, including asthma, were asked to consider leaving the area.

In La Canada Flintridge, fire fighters were battling the blaze raging near homes.

Local resident David Jensen, whose house was dangerously close to the flames, said he had never experienced a fire coming so close to the perimeter of his property.

In the community of La Crescenta, were a mandatory evacuation was in place, residents took refuge in a temporary shelter, set up by the Red Cross.

"The fire was out of control, they were worried about where it was going to go, it was a little bit unpredictable so they wanted to clear everyone out of the area," one woman said.

The blaze was only about five percent contained on Sunday and had scorched 55 square miles (142 square kilometres) in the Angeles National Forest.

Firefighters were hoping to keep the blaze from spreading up Mount Wilson, where many of the region's broadcast and communications antennas and a historic observatory are located.

Flames were within two miles (about three kilometres) of the towers on Sunday, fire officials said.

The fire had travelled six to eight miles (10 to 13 kilometres) overnight, burning as actively during the night as it did during the day, said a Forest Service Captain.

The fire, which broke out on Wednesday afternoon, was the largest and most dangerous of several burning around southern and central California and in Yosemite National Park.