NORTH COUNTY -- The entire town of Ramona -- more than 36,000 people -- and hundreds of residents in surrounding areas were forced to flee their homes Sunday night after a Santa Ana-whipped fire burned through 5,000 acres on both sides of Highway 78, leaving blazing structures, power outages and dead animals in its wake.

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The inferno, dubbed the Witch Creek fire by officials, was one of a dozen blazes scorching Southern California from Malibu to Mexico that prompted Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to declare a state of emergency in San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

In East County, the so-called Harris fire had charred 20,000 acres in Potrero, leaving one civilian dead and at least 14 people -- including four fighters -- hospitalized. Further north, fires were burning in Malibu, San Fernando Valley, Fontana, Devore, Arrowhead and other areas, threatening homes and charring thousands of acres.

The Ramona-area fire turned into a wall of flames nearly instantly after it started just before 1 p.m. near Witch Creek Road. Within hours, 40 to 50 mph winds had whipped the blaze across 3,000 acres as it leapfrogged across Highway 78 in several places, fire officials said. At least 350 firefighters were working the fire lines Sunday in an effort to protect structures and allow evacuations.

The cause of the fire was under investigation, fire officials said.

The flames spread into two flanks that descended on Ramona, said Battalion Chief Kelly Zombro, of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Flames surged westward between the areas charred by the 2003 Cedar fire, the 273,000-acre blaze that destroyed 2,400 homes and killed a firefighter and 14 other people. Sunday's flames, fed by gusts of up to 70 mph, were fueled by winds so strong that firefighting aircraft could not safely fly, Zombro said.

Thousands warned by phone

As the fire spread, officials used the county's Reverse 911 system -- which is used to call residents in an emergency -- to advise thousands of people to evacuate the areas of Ramona, Ramona Country Estates, Black Canyon, Witch Creek and other areas, sheriff's Lt. Phil Brust said. There were more than 36,000 residents in Ramona, according to the latest population figures compiled by the San Diego Association of Governments.

By late Sunday, parts of the San Pasqual Valley was evacuated and Poway residents were placed on alert.

Evacuation centers were set up at Escondido High School, 1535 North Broadway; and Steele Canyon High School, 12440 Campo Road in Spring Valley. Poor air quality prompted officials Sunday night to move an evacuation center at Poway High School to Mira Mesa High School.

The centers, set up by the American Red Cross, will remain open "as long as there is a need," spokeswoman Gayle Falkenthal said. Lodging, food, drinks and basic health services will be provided, she said.

An evacuation center set up at Escondido High School had more than 30 families by late evening, and authorities said they were anticipating up to 30 more families to show up during the night.

Adam Rosa said he and his parents evacuated their apartment on the east edge of Ramona at 8:30 p.m.

"The fire was right on the other side of the mountain from us when we left," he said. "Everything out there was all smoke and we couldn't breathe. When we were coming down the mountain we could see the mountain behind us."

Motels begin filling

Other families forced to evacuate their homes began trickling into area motels shortly after nightfall.

The front desk clerk at Motel 6 in Escondido said, for example, that by mid-evening four evacuating families had taken rooms at the 131-unit complex at 900 Quince Street.

"We're anticipating more as the evening goes on," the clerk said, adding that several members of one family told her they had to make several back-and-forth trips to rescue their animals because they only had one horse trailer. "It's pretty sad."

All schools in the Ramona and Poway Unified school districts were ordered closed today, as was the Palomar Mountain Elementary School and the Dehesa Charter School in Escondido.

Meanwhile, evacuation points for large animals and livestock were set up at the Lakeside rodeo grounds, at Highway 67 and Magnolia Avenue in Lakeside, and the Del Mar Fairgrounds said Tammy Glenn, public information officer for the county.

As the flames spread, local residents and state officials mounted an effort to rescue some of the hundreds of horses that live in rural ranches in the area.

Desperate efforts to save horses

Earlier in the day, Ramona residents Haley Van Houten and Shelee Lyon moved four horses in separate trailers from the Sierra South Horseshoeing School on Old Julian Highway to a south Ramona ranch. They returned for another load of horses but were not allowed back in.

"I know they mean well, but they don't have horses," Van Houten said of the officials blocking their path. Meanwhile, Lyon damaged the front tires on her vehicle while attempting to get past a tack strip set in the roadway by California Highway Patrol officers manning a road closure.

A second shelter for pets and smaller animals was established by the Escondido Humane Society at Poway High School, authorities said. It was unclear Sunday night whether the shelter was moved.

Authorities said anyone looking for general information on animal services should call 211. For emergencies, they said people should call county animal services at (619) 767-2675.

Power cut to protect firefighters

As of Sunday night, utility crews had also shut down power to more than 1,000 customers in Ramona, Santa Ysabel, San Diego Country Estates, the La Jolla Reservation and Mesa Grande, San Diego Gas & Electric reported.

At least some of the outages were put in place so firefighters would not have to work around live powerlines, authorities said.

"It's just to make it safe for firefighters and our folks," said Don Parent, spokesman for the utility company. "As soon as we check and make sure it's safe, we'll re-energize them."

The county Air Pollution Control District alerted residents to high concentrations of fine particulates from the smoke, resulting in potentially poor air quality in areas affected by fire. Residents should limit physical activity or stay indoors to avoid exposure to smoke-laden air, authorities said.

The weather is expected to bring little relief today, as winds will be "pretty much the same," gusting at 50 mph during morning hours, 75 mph during the afternoon and slowing only to 55 mph at night, National Weather Service meteorologist Noel Isla said.

Building high pressure is creating humidity levels of less than 10 percent, and wind could blow smoke and sand, creating additional hazards for large vehicles.

Winds should weaken by Wednesday and temperatures should begin cooling by Thursday, the weather service reported.

Information on the fires is available at www.nctimes.com and www.sdcountyemergency.com. Residents can call 211 for non-emergency calls related to the fire. Cell phone calls should be directed to (858) 300-1211.

The Associated Press and staff writers Philip K. Ireland and Bob Masingale contributed to this report.

Contact staff writer Sarah Wilkins at (760) 740-3524 or swilkins@nctimes.com.

Roads closed because of Ramona-area wildfire include:

- Highway 78 at Magnolia Avenue

- Highway 78 at Rancho Santa Teresa

- Highway 79 at Highway 78

- Old Julian Highway at Vista Ramona Road

- Highway 79 at Highway 76

-- Source: California Highway Patrol, as of 10:45 p.m.

Contacts and updates:

24-hour Community, Health and Disaster Information: Dial 211

County General Information Line: (858) 694-3900

County Office of Emergency Services fire updates: www.sdcountyemergency.com

San Diego Gas & Electric Co.: www.sdge.com

California Highway Patrol traffic and road closure information: cad.chp.ca.gov

County Animal Services emergency information: (619) 767-2675