More than 250,000 people have left their homes in Southern California as some of the worst wildfires ever. The community of Ramona, with a population of 36,000, was evacuated, the Associated Press reported.

About 250,000 residents were being evacuated from the areas surrounding San Diego, said Ron Roberts, chairman of the San Diego County supervisors.

Twelve fires, fueled by strong winds, high temperatures and low humidity burned down more than 100,000 acres and killed at least one man.

More than 100,665 acres of land were burned from Santa Barbara to San Diego County near the Mexican border, said Daniel Berlant, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry.

A series of fires burned through southern California almost exactly four years ago. The largest cost $1.1 billion and damaged 4,847 structures in San Diego County.

"Right now, this is the worst," Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Sam Padilla said. "It's bringing down houses in the urban interface. We're not going to bring them under control with these winds."

"The firefighters are doing some death-defying things getting in front of these fires with these winds," he added.