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Fires rage around Southern California

May 14, 2014
A wildfire approaches homes on Wednesday, May 14, 2014, in San Marcos, Calif. Flames engulfed suburban homes and shot up along canyon ridges in one of the worst of several blazes that broke out Wednesday in Southern California during a second day of a sweltering heat wave, taxing fire crews who fear the scattered fires mark only the beginning of a long wildfire season. (AP Photo/)

A wildfire approaches homes on Wednesday, May 14, 2014, in San Marcos, Calif. Flames engulfed suburban homes and shot up along canyon ridges in one of the worst of several blazes that broke out Wednesday in Southern California during a second day of a sweltering heat wave, taxing fire crews who fear the scattered fires mark only the beginning of a long wildfire season. (AP Photo)

Fires are raging around Southern California under a record-breaking heat wave and strong winds.

A wildfire had burned through 6.3 square kilometers of land in northern San Diego by Wednesday after being started on Tuesday around 11 a.m., and more than 20,000 were evacuated from schools, homes and businesses.

Fires also spread to Rancho Santa Fe, where golf courses and homes of high value saw smoke and fire.

Helicopters and the fire department worked through the night but could only contain 25 percent of the fire.

In Los Angeles and San Diego, record-breaking temperatures, dry heat and winds of 40 to 80 kilometers have brought on wildfires throughout the week.

Wildfires also started in Santa Barbara on Tuesday, where 2.8 square kilometers were burned through and thousands evacuated.

The National Weather Service has issued a fire danger for Los Angeles County, Orange County and San Diego County Wednesday through Thursday due to the extreme heat and dry conditions.

This May 14, 2014 image provided by NASA shows numerous large wildfires burning across sections of northern Baja and southern California, producing plumes of moderate to dense smoke and combining with blowing dust and sand moving west off the coast and well into the Pacific Ocean. Nine fires in all were burning an area of more than 14 square miles amid a heat wave and dry conditions, said San Diego County officials, who warned also of poor air quality with black and gray smoke wafting over the region. (AP Photo/NASA)

This May 14, 2014 image provided by NASA shows numerous large wildfires burning across sections of northern Baja and southern California, producing plumes of moderate to dense smoke and combining with blowing dust and sand moving west off the coast and well into the Pacific Ocean. Nine fires in all were burning an area of more than 14 square miles amid a heat wave and dry conditions, said San Diego County officials, who warned also of poor air quality with black and gray smoke wafting over the region. (AP Photo/NASA)