California wildfire: Santa Barbara 'a ghost town' as officials say Thomas blaze could rage until January

One of the biggest wild fires in California's history could rage on until January, officials have said.

Residents of downtown Santa Barbara including some celebrities were forced to flee the city leaving it a “ghost town” as surging winds drove the Thomas fire towards the city and the nearby wealthy enclave of Montecito.

The mandatory evacuations around Montecito and neighbouring Summerland came as winds that had eased a day earlier roared back at around 30mph, with gusts to about 60mph.

Firefighters sprayed water on to hotspots sparked by wind-blown embers. Firefighters also drove to the historic San Ysidro Ranch in yellow fire trucks as heavy smoke rose from the coastal hills, blotting out the blue skies.

Authorities said they were hoping to have the blaze contained by 7 January.

A portion of Santa Barbara was under mandatory evacuation. At the city's zoo, workers began putting some animals into crates and kennels, to ready them for possible evacuation.

In downtown Santa Barbara, Maya Schoop-Rutten, owner of Chocolate Maya, said she saw through the window of her chocolate shop smoke suddenly appear after strong winds blew through.

"It was absolutely incredible," she said. "There was a huge mushroom of smoke that happened in just a matter of a few minutes."

Restaurants and small stores on normally bustling State Street were shuttered.

"It's a ghost town. Everything is shut down," Ms Schoop-Rutten said. "It's very, very eerie."

The 404-square-mile Thomas Fire was moving rapidly westward and crested Montecito Peak, just north of Montecito. Known for its star power, the enclave boasts the mansions of Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres and many other celebrities.

"It is right above the homes," fire spokesman Jude Olivas said.

Ms Winfrey expressed her dismay on her Twitter account.

"Still praying for our little town. Winds picked up this morning creating a perfect storm of bad for firefighters," Winfrey tweeted. It was not clear if the former talk show host was in Montecito.