The moment a wildfire burst into life and began to spread in California has been caught on camera.

The Maria Fire has burned some 15 square miles and prompted evacuation orders for nearly 11,000 people since it began Thursday evening.

On Friday, a tug of war developed between onshore and offshore winds.

"It has been an uphill battle ever since," Ventura County Fire Chief Mark Lorenzen said. "As winds shift, we have a whole new fuel bed open up."

The cause was under investigation but there was a troubling possibility that an electrical line might have been involved – as such lines have been involved in other recent fires.

Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Show all 32 1 /32 Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Firefighters battle a blaze at the Salvation Army Camp in Malibu Getty Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Flames from the Camp fire burn near a home atop a ridge near Big Bend AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Cathy Fallon (centre) who stayed behind to tend to her horses during the Camp Fire, embraces Shawna De Long (left) and April Smith who brought supplies for the horses Reuters Wildfires spread across California – in pictures A helicopter drops flame retardant on a wildfire in Malibu Getty Wildfires spread across California – in pictures An air tanker drops water on the fire along the Ronald Reagan Freeway in Simi Valley AP Wildfires spread across California – in pictures An abandoned car from fleeing residents of Paradise in the Pentz road area EPA Wildfires spread across California – in pictures A firefighter tackles the fire along the Ronald Reagan Freeway in Simi Valley AP Wildfires spread across California – in pictures A Jack In The Box fast food restaurant burns as the Camp fire moves through Paradise, California AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Yuba and Butte County Sheriff officers label a body bag AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Firefighters hose down trees on Bell Canyon Road, near Malibu AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California – in pictures A fire burns at the Salvation Army Camp Getty Wildfires spread across California – in pictures A firefighting DC-10 makes a fire retardant drop over a wildfire in the mountains near Malibu Canyon Road AP Wildfires spread across California – in pictures A house burns in Paradise, California AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Bins have melted and ballooned in the heat in Magalia, Butte County EPA Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Satellite image taken on 8 November shows plumes of smoke from the Camp Fire stretching across portions of Northern California AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Firefighters battle the Camp Fire AP Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Firefighters battle the Woolsey Fire Reuters Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Deputy Coroner Justin Sponhaltz, of the Mariposa County Sheriff's Office, recovers human remains found at a home destroyed by the Camp Fire AP Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Buildings burn in Paradise, California EPA Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Local residents bring their horses to Zuma Beach and away from the Woolsey Fire in Malibu Reuters Wildfires spread across California – in pictures A used car dealership burns in Paradise, California Reuters Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Yuba and Butte County Sheriff officers inspect a burned vehicle after discovering remains nearby in Concow AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Firefighters battle the flames in Thousand Oaks Reuters Wildfires spread across California – in pictures A house burns in Paradise, California AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California – in pictures A house burns in Paradise, California AP Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Search and rescue teams work to evacuate patients from the burning Feather River Hospital in Paradise, California AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Embers blow in the wind in Paradise, California AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California – in pictures In Butte County, the sky is filled with the smoke of the Camp Fire EPA Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Firefighters at work in Thousand Oaks Reuters Wildfires spread across California – in pictures A house burns in Paradise, California AP Wildfires spread across California – in pictures The burned remains of a house and car are left after the Camp Fire in Paradise, California AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California – in pictures A shop burns in Paradise, California AFP/Getty

Southern California Edison said Friday that it re-energized a 16,000-volt power line 13 minutes before the fire erupted in the same area.

Edison and other utilities up and down the state shut off power to hundreds of thousands of people this week out of concerns that high winds could cause power lines to spark and start fires.

In footage captured by the Nevada Seismological Laboratory the blaze can be seen sparking into life on a hilltop. The one-minute clip shows the next hour as the fire spreads.