LOS ANGELES, May 9 (Reuters) - The wildfire in an emblematic Los Angeles park continued to burn early on Wednesday, although firefighters had managed to drive the flames away from an affluent neighborhood evacuated overnight.

Fire officials said over 600 acres (250 hectares) had burned in Griffith Park, the largest urban park in the nation and a popular spot for hikers and families.

The fire was 45 percent contained and some of the 300 people evacuated from the upscale Los Feliz neighborhood would be allowed back to their homes at daybreak.

The combination of unseasonably hot weather, erratic winds and the driest year on record in the second largest U.S. city allowed the fire to rage through the dense, brittle brush for 16 hours. It was believed to be the park's worst fire in at least three decades.

Traffic reporters warned it would be a difficult commute as the firefighting effort closed major exits in the web of freeways that surround Griffith Park, a few miles north of downtown and east of the landmark Hollywood sign.

Before sunrise, orange flames were visible on the ridge behind the famous Griffith Observatory, where scenes from James Dean's classic movie "Rebel Without a Cause" were filmed in the 1950s. Overnight, the fire destroyed a favorite hiker perch called Dante's View.

Officials said late on Tuesday that careless disposal of a cigarette might have been the cause of the fire.

A man who was seen emerging from the brush with burns on his body was being questioned by arson investigators while hospitalized for burn treatment. He had not been charged with starting the fire.

No other injuries were reported.

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