Fires erupted at around 3:30 am (1130 GMT) officials said, spreading rapidly through tinder-dry brush as winds packing gusts of up to 50 mph (80 km) fanned the inferno, the second major blaze to hit Malibu in a month.

By 10:30 am (1830 GMT), around 2,200 acres (890 ha) had been scorched as the flames burned unchecked, Los Angeles County Fire Department officials said.

Around 1,700 firefighters had been deployed to tackle the fires, backed up by 23 aircraft including water-dropping helicopters and a DC-10 which was pummeling the infernos with flame retardant.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky told a press conference 10,000 residents had been evacuated. Only one injury had been reported so far, a firefighter who received burns which were not thought serious, he added.

Yaroslavsky said winds blowing across the region had begun to ease later Saturday, offering encouragement to firefighters. However he warned the situation could change rapidly.

"It's a very dynamic and dangerous situation," he told reporters. "The winds have died down but we need to caution everyone that winds can start again in a hurry. It does not mean people are out of danger.

The cause of the fire was not known, he added.

Last month a devastating fire destroyed 4,565 acres (1,847 ha), six homes, two businesses and a church in Malibu.

The blaze was one of a series of state-wide infernos that left eight people dead, gutted 2,000 homes, displaced 640,000 people and caused more than one billion dollars in damage.

Malibu, around 30 kilometers (19 miles) west of Los Angeles, is home to celebrities such as Sting, Jennifer Aniston, Mel Gibson, Robert Redford, Barbra Streisand, Cher and Richard Gere.

Local media reports said actors Matthew McConaughey and Minnie Driver were among those forced to evacuate while Red Hot Chili Peppers bass guitarist Flea's home was destroyed by the flames.

A text message from the rock star said his 10.5-million-dollar mansion had "burnt to a crisp," The Los Angeles Times reported.

Actress and songwriter Linda Thompson, who has lived in Malibu for 27 years, said her home had escaped major damage but reported that a neighbor's house had not been so lucky.

"Unfortunately, my elderly neighbor right next door -- her house burned to the ground. She's been there 35 years," Thompson told ABC7. "...it's just devastating," she added.

Yaroslavsky meanwhile praised authorities and residents for evacuating swiftly at the first sign of danger on Saturday.

"It's been a devastating fire but it could have been much worse," he said. "They have done an outstanding job in evacuating this area."

Los Angeles Fire captain Mike Brown said strong winds had hampered early efforts to bring the flames under control.

"When you're dealing with a wind-driven fire, the wind dictates the progression of the flames," Brown said.

Embers from the fires were being blown up to half a mile in advance of the worst-hit areas, Brown said, causing isolated spot fires across the area.

"The wind creates extreme problems. Embers can carry half a mile from the point of origin and land on a roof top," Brown said.

Los Angeles County fire chief Michael Freeman said firefighters had been deployed near potential trouble-spots in anticipation of wind-fuelled fires.

"We're as well prepared as we can be," Freeman said. "The pre-deployment of personnel is paying off."

Los Angeles has suffered record-low rainfalls this year, with just 8.15 centimeters (3.2 inches) of rain between January 1 and June 30 -- a fifth of the average rainfall and the lowest since records began 130 years ago.

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