California‘s governor has declared a state-wide emergency, ordering nearly 200,000 people to flee from the threat of wildfires fuelled by ferocious winds.

Millions of people were left without power as hurricane-force winds whipped through the state.

Firefighters have had to contend with powerful winds and at least one gust clocked at 102 miles per hour on Sunday above the evacuated town of Healdsburg, according to the National Weather Service.

At least 180,000 people were ordered to evacuate near Kincade Fire, the largest of eight wildfires currently blazing, the Wall Street Journal reports.

About 3,000 people were battling the Kincade Fire and prompted Governor Gavin Newsom to declare a statewide emergency.

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

Governor Newsom said in a statement: “We are deploying every resource available, and are coordinating with numerous agencies as we continue to respond to these fires.

“All hands are focusing on the Kincade, the most stubborn challenge we face.”

At a news conference on Sunday, officials said they expect the current conditions of high winds and low humidity – that can lead to the rapid spread of fire – to persist for days.

County of Sonoma Supervisor David Rabbitt said: “We know we are not out of the woods, and the wind conditions that were ferocious continue today.”

There are currently no reports of deaths or major injuries.

California Fire officials said on Sunday that the fire had grown to burn over 85 square miles, and officials reported containment had dropped to 5 per cent with at least 94 structures now destroyed.

In the San Francisco Bay Area, two grass fires briefly halted traffic on an Interstate bridge and the flames came dangerously close to homes in Vallejo.

Another grass fire closed a stretch of interstate that cuts through the state capital as smoke obstructed drivers.

In the south, a wildfire in the Santa Clarita area near Los Angeles destroyed 18 structures. As of Sunday night, the Tick Fire was 70 per cent contained.

The biggest evacuation was in Northern California’s Sonoma County where 180,000 people were told to pack up and leave, many in the middle of the night.

To prevent its power lines from sparking in the high winds and setting off more blazes, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) said on Sunday that preventative shut-offs impacted 965,000 customers and another 100,000 lost electricity because of strong gusts, bringing the number of residents impacted by blackouts to nearly 2.7 million people.

PG&E officials said they were expecting strong winds to whip up again on Tuesday and that they have notified 500,000 customers – or more than 1 million people – that they are likely to have their power turned off for the third time in a week.

Chief executive officer and president of PG&E Andrew M Vesey said: “We recognise the hardship of not having power.

“We are working hard with all our partners to ensure the most vulnerable customers are being cared for.”

Some of those people might not have their power restored from the current outage before the next major shutdown, which would leave them without electricity for five days or longer, said Mark Quinlan, PG&E’s emergency preparedness and response director.

The fear that the winds could blow embers and spread fire across a major highway prompted authorities to expand evacuation orders that covered parts of Santa Rosa, a city of 175,000 that was devastated by a wildfire two years ago.

Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office tweeted on Sunday: “This is the largest evacuation that any of us can remember. Take care of each other.”

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Hundreds of people arrived at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa by Sunday.

Some came from senior care facilities. More than 300 people slept inside an auditorium filled with cots and wheeled beds. Scores of others stayed in a separate building with their pets.