Firefighters hold line on two California wildfires

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - California firefighters held theline overnight on two wildfires burning along the Californiacoast that threatened more than 4,000 homes and otherstructures, fire officials said on Friday morning.

The Basin Complex and Gap fires, burning about 170 miles(273 km) apart, were both unusually active overnight butfirefighters managed to stop the flames, in some cases at thedoorsteps of homes.

The Gap fire, burning north of Goleta, is considered thetop priority among more than 1,000 blazes burning across thestate because of its proximity to homes.

Although the blaze more than doubled in size to 5,400 acres(2,185 hectares), firefighters turned it away from Goleta, atown of 30,000 people about 100 miles (160 km) northwest of LosAngeles, and from power lines that supply the centralCalifornia coast, said Santa Barbara County spokesman WilliamBoyer.

"Our firefighters made some pretty heroic stands lastnight," he said.

Mandatory evacuations and evacuation warnings, in whichresidents must be prepared to leave, remain in effect for 1,900homes, Boyer said.

A fleet of 20 firefighting aircraft began dropping waterand retardant on the flames on Friday, and weather conditionswere "a little overcast and a little muggy," Boyer said.

"If we get more of that, that's a good thing," he said.

County health officials issued face masks to residents whoplanned vigorous outdoor activities to protect them from heavysmoke, Boyer said.

While Goleta residents will miss their annual IndependenceDay fireworks display this year, the neighbouring city of SantaBarbara plans to go forward with its display, he said.

County officials had no containment figure for the Gap fireon Friday morning.

Farther up the coast, firefighters made no progressextending containment lines but turned the 65,393-acre(26,460-hectare) Basin Complex Fire away from threatened homes,fire information officer Karen McKinley said.

The Basin Complex Fire was 5 percent contained on Fridaymorning -- unchanged from the previous day, she said.

Flames are most active along the coast and the fire'ssouthern edge, and firefighters worried about windy and dryconditions expected on Friday, McKinley said.

The fire is burning in the foothills above the sceniccoastal community of Big Sur, where 1,800 homes and businesseshad been evacuated and 25 miles (40 kms) of coastal highwayshut down. Big Sur is about 140 miles (225 km) south of SanFrancisco.

Those evacuations and closures remained in effect onFriday, McKinley said.

(Editing by Eric Beech)