Day 1: Fires erupt in Southern California

Spectators watch from Irvine Center Drive and Sand Canyon Avenue as the fire, driven by high winds, sweeps through the hills above Irvine. The fire had burned 3,800 acres in the Limestone Canyon Regional Park area. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Sept. 16, 2014 4:09 AM PT

Hundreds of homes are evacuated as flames move through dry growth from Santa Barbara County to the Mexican border.

Residents of Camp Plenty Road in Canyon Country water down a home as flames sweep through the area. The blaze also gutted cars. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

A flurry of fire retardant sprayed from a helicopter heads toward a structure on Pacific Coast Highway. Firefighters were able to save the building. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

An eerie orange glow bathes Malibu as firefighters cross Pacific Coast Highway on Sunday afternoon. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

As the fire makes its way down a hillside toward a structure on PCH, firefighters scramble to reposition themselves. Their efforts paid off: They were able to knock down the flames and save the structure. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Geronimo Ruiz sprays fire retardant on the house of Jeffrey Katzenberg, chief executive of movie company DreamWorks SKG. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Danica Perez stands in the smoke and wind as firefighters try to keep the blaze from crossing PCH. Perez’s home is on the ocean side of the highway. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

An Airstream camper is dwarfed by approaching flames on Carbon Canyon property in Malibu. (Stephen Osman / Los Angeles Times)

Flames engulf Malibu Presbyterian Church. Important items were safely removed from the hilltop structure, including boxes of documents and computers. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Firefighters look for places to attack the blaze as structures burn on Las Virgenes Canyon Road. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

A sign at the Malibu Presbyterian Church still stands as firefighters try to save structures. (Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Firefighters tackle spot fires on the hillsides adjacent to Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

A structure burns on Malibu Canyon Road. (Stephen Osman / Los Angeles Times)

The dining room of a beachfront home on Malibu Road burns. (Stephen Osman / Los Angeles Times)

Malibu landmark Castle Kashan is fully engulfed in flames. (Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)

Numerous works of art were lost in the fire at Castle Kashan, which was listed at $17 million earlier this year. (Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)

A Jaguar burns on Pacific Coast Highway near Malibu Canyon Road. (Stephen Osman / Los Angeles Times)

Firefighters spray the Malibu Grooming Company to save it from approaching flames Sunday afternoon. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Malibu resident Jim Palmer covers his face from the wind-driven smoke from the Canyon Fire in Malibu Canyon this morning. (Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Beachfront homes and decks burn at houses on Malibu Road. (Stephen Osman / Los Angeles Times)

A burning deck and structure on the beach in Malibu. (Stephen Osman / Los Angeles Times)

Firefighters use water-dropping helicopters to battle the Canyon Fire near Pepperdine University in Malibu. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

High winds sent palm trees leaning into the smoky sky on Las Virgenes Canyon Road. (Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Flames light up the early morning darkness on Las Virgenes Canyon Road. (Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times)