The incident has forced the governor of California to declare a state of emergency.

Mass evacuations have also taken place as at least 20,000 people fled from Napa, Sonoma and Yuba counties, the BBC reported.

"These fires have destroyed structures and continue to threaten thousands of homes, necessitating the evacuation of thousands of residents," an official statement read.

The death toll is expected to rise.

Many people are said to have sustained injuries during the carnage, while some have been reported missing.

According to Kim Pimlott, head of California's Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the fire has destroyed at least 1500 buildings.

Experts said that dry weather coupled with strong wind were responsible for the fire spreading widely.

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