Hot and extremely dry conditions in California have caused a wildfire to grow to nearly 5,000 acres outside of Los Angeles, threatening thousands of homes and leading to mandatory evacuations for more than 100,000 as the state enters peak wildfire season.

The fire, dubbed the Saddleridge Brush Fire, started on Thursday evening, and quickly grew from 60 acres to 4,600 over an 11-hour period, officials said on Friday.

None of the blaze was contained by firefighters as of Friday afternoon, as winds from inland whipped the San Fernando Valley blaze. At least one man was reported dead after suffering a cardiac arrest as flames threatened the region, and one firefighter reportedly suffered an eye injury.

As firefighters worked to contain the blaze, images and video posted online by fleeing residents painted an alarming portrait of the scene, just a year after devastating fires left 103 people dead.

“Do not wait to leave. If we ask you to evacuate, please evacuate,” Los Angeles Fire Department chief Ralph Terrazas said Friday morning during a press conference.

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

As of Friday afternoon, neighbourhoods including the affluent area of Porter Ranch were under mandatory evacuation orders. Some reports indicated that the blaze had moved so quickly that firefighters in certain places were unable to warn residents in time.

Around 1,000 firefighters were on scene, and officials said they were expected to be there fighting the flames back for days to come.

At least 25 homes had been damaged by the flames, but officials were still conducting damage assessments as Friday wore on.

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With residents fleeing from the area north of LA, photos and videos showed the flames running alongside the road, illuminating the night with raging red and oranges.

“The glow that surrounded us was so bright orange, it looked like it was in our backyard,” Christie Lugo Leigh, a resident who was evacuated with her daughter and dog, told KTLA in a phone interview.

But, it wasn’t just humans who were being evacuated as quickly as possible. Judy-Lee Chen Sang posted a video of horses being evacuated on her way out, as she was helping her niece get away from a home she was house sitting at.

“I was helping my niece who was house sitting 3 minutes from our home,” she said in a Twitter direct message to The Independent. “The person’s house the fire was coming up close. This is Zelzah just north of Rinaldi and there is an equestrian centre. They were starting the staging & evacuation of the horses in the area. We are fine.”

The fires were exacerbated by the so-called Santa Ana winds, which are warm gusts that blow down from the mountains inland from the Pacific Ocean. They brought maximum winds of 46mph on Thursday evening, according to the National Weather Service.

The Saddleridge Fire was not the only blaze in California, however.