(Recasts with status of fire containment, details)

By Kathryn Reed

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif., June 25 (Reuters) - Firefighters had a wildfire near California's popular Lake Tahoe resort 40 percent contained on Monday after it engulfed 2,500 acres (1,000 hectares) and destroyed or damaged more than 200 homes.

About 700 firefighters battled the blaze, which had been fanned by high winds, and finally succeeded in bringing much of it under control, U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Yvonne Jones told reporters.

In Sacramento, Lt. Gov. John Garamendi declared a state of emergency for El Dorado County, allowing the state to help cover the costs of fighting the fire. Garamendi was acting in place of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is in Europe.

Firefighters had briefed the two by telephone and Garamendi told reporters Schwarzenegger is "very much aware of what is happening here and has committed whatever resources are necessary."

The fire broke out on Sunday afternoon and authorities believe it was started intentionally or accidentally. Winds blew it through dry, wooded terrain around South Lake Tahoe, a vacation community near the Nevada border.

About 1,000 residents fled blinding ash and suffocating heat under mandatory evacuation orders. No injuries were reported but some 200 homes were damaged and 173 destroyed.

Some displaced residents found shelter in local hotels.

"Neither my husband nor I brought clothes," said Renee Gorevin, 50. "I brought my dog and made sure my son and daughter got out."

Winds of 30 mph (48 kph) with gusts of 45 mph (72 kmh) made it difficult for firefighters on the ground to control the blaze and helicopters and aircraft dumped buckets of water and flame retardant on the fire.

As the winds eased firefighters were hoping they could keep the blaze in check.

The Lake Tahoe fire came as California braced for a tough fire season after an unusually dry winter.

As fire crews battled the Lake Tahoe blaze, a 6,000-acre (2,500-hectare) fire 80 miles (120 km) north of Los Angeles forced evacuation of some residents of Rosamond, California.

Separately, fire crews in Alaska were fighting a blaze on the Kenai Peninsula that has consumed about 80 square miles (210 square kms) of forest. (Additional reporting by Dean Goodman in Los Angeles and Jenny O'Mara in Sacramento, California)

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