State of emergency declared in California to battle brush fire

LOS ANGELES, July 6 - California's Governor Jerry Brown declared Friday a state of emergency in San Diego County due to the fast moving fire in the western US state.

The brush fire has destroyed homes, threatened more homes and caused the evacuation of residents, Brown said in a statement.

Additionally, "the fire has forced the closure of roadways and continues to threaten critical infrastructure," he added.

"High temperatures, low humidity, and erratic winds have further increased the spread of this fire," he said.

The blaze, dubbed the West Fire, has burned across an area of 400 acres (around 1.6 square kms), said the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.