San Francisco - More than 1,500 residents were evacuated near Santa Cruz, California, as a more than 280 hectare wildfire threatened homes in the coastal town south of San Francisco.

Officials had warned that heavy winds and high temperatures had increased the fire danger in the area.

More than 200 firefighters were battling the blaze, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

The fire was expected to grow before being contained, fire department officials told the Santa Cruz Sentinel.

A day earlier, 30 homes were destroyed in the northern California town of Stockton.

In late May, fires levelled 35 homes in the Santa Cruz area. (dpa)