Several brush fires were burning in Southern California on Friday, stoked by hot, windy weather that's led to some evacuations and tens of thousands of people in the state waking up in the dark after their electricity was turned off.

A rapidly spreading blaze in Malibu, a coastal town west of Los Angeles, prompted evacuation orders and warnings for a large swathe of the Santa Monica Mountains.

A large cloud of black smoke over the hilltops could be seen on nearby cameras and miles away.