San Francisco  - Two firefighters were killed Sunday in a accident while battling a wildfire near Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Times reported, quoting local authorities.

The men were killed near Mt Gleason in northern Los Angeles County when their vehicle rolled off a mountainside, the report said.

Officials said that at least 18 buildings were destroyed by the fires near the town of Station, but expected that number to grow.

The fires are threatening a historic observatory on Mt Wilson as well as television and mobile phone transmission towers on the mountain.

The wildfires raging at the Los Angeles National Forest north-east of the Californian city have spread during the weekend, threatening more than 10,000 homes.

Authorities evacuated towns and settlements near the blaze, thousands of Californians fled the area.

More than 1,800 firefighters are battling the blaze, hampered by high temperatures of up to 35 degrees Celsius, but fortunately the much-feared Santa-Ana desert winds, which often fan the flames during California's wildfires have so far remained absent, authorities said.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Friday declared a state of emergency to speed relief efforts. (dpa)