Authorities have evacuated residents from about 200 homes as a fierce brushfire is burning in a mountainous area about 60 miles (96 km) northwest of downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday afternoon.

The fire, which is sending thick and black columns of smoke into the air, was started just before 12:25 p.m. near homes in hills and canyons in the Lebec Oaks Road area of Kern County, a few hundred yards off Interstate 5, Sean Collins, a spokesman for the Kern County Fire Department told the Los Angeles Times.

Evacuation was started at around 1:20 p.m. and residents in the area were told to leave their homes, local authorities said.

A combination of strong winds and high humidity has contributed to the rapid spread of the fire, which the officials said has already scorched an estimated 750 acres (303.5 hectare) of tinder dry brushes in the area.

The authorities have sent water-dropping fixed-wing airplanes and helicopters to launch a battle against the inferno, but the effort was hampered by the tough terrain and strong winds, the authorities said.