MALABAR, Fla. -- Hundreds more residents on Florida's east coast were ordered to evacuate from their homes Monday as firefighters struggled to contain wildfires burning in dry, windy weather.

Helicopters dropped water on parts of a fire that had burned between 500 and 600 acres in Daytona Beach, said Division of Forestry spokesman Timber Weller.

Authorities ordered about 500 homes in the northwest part of the city to be evacuated. No homes were reported damaged, though officials warned that embers could fly more than a mile from the blaze.

The fire was about 20 percent contained, but firefighters' efforts would be challenged by high winds, Weller said.

"The weather conditions are ripe for extreme fire behavior," Weller said. "What we're looking at is fairly typical for this time of year in Florida, coming into the end of the dry season."

In neighboring Brevard County, a 2,000-acre fire destroyed two homes in Malabar, firefighters said. No injuries were reported.

The fire and resulting smoke forced officials to close a 17-mile stretch of Interstate 95 in Brevard County Sunday night, but it was back open early Monday morning.

One person may be responsible for that blaze, said Ernie Dieble, an arson investigator with the Palm Bay Police Department.

An eyewitness saw someone in a car drop something into an open field, and the fire started shortly afterward, he said.

Also in Brevard County, a 250 acre fire was burning near Cocoa. Dozens of people were evacuated.

"We've been spraying the roofs," homeowner Joey Byer told WKMG-TV in Orlando. "We've got every hose we own out here trying to spray it and helping the firefighters out."

Homes Evacuated In Daytona Beach

About 400 Volusia County homes near Daytona Beach were under a mandatory evacuation order Sunday and about 200 homes were under a voluntary evacuation advisory, authorities said.

The Volusia County brush fire burned about 500 to 600 acres and also led to road closures, Florida Division of Forestry spokesman Timber Weller said.

Weller said he was not sure how many residents of the Bayberry Lakes subdivision, along LPGA Boulevard, were forced to leave their homes. He said 20-mph winds and dry conditions made the fire especially challenging for crews.

"Control is extremely difficult and there's basically several small subdivisions in the area and fires burning, in some cases, very close to the homes," Weller said.

An American Red Cross shelter was set up at a Daytona Beach hotel for Volusia County evacuees and the city has established a hot line, according to a news release.

About 200 animals housed at the Halifax Humane Society were moved out of the area for their safety.

Wind-Driven Fire Forces Evacuations In St. Johns County

A 180-acre fire in St. Johns County that forced people from their homes along state Road 207 on Sunday was 70 percent contained by Monday morning, allowing all evacuations to be lifted.

Firefighters in Flagler County, Jacksonville and East Palatka were helping St. Johns County try to keep the wind from spreading the flames beyond fire lines.

No homes were lost and roads were allowed to reopen Monday morning.

"I'm hoping that it's going to go past us, but it's still scary," said Mary Melvin, one of a handful of families forced from her home on Sunday. "The way the wind's blowing, it could blow it away from us, it could take it to us. I wish it would just stop."

The National Weather Service said the winds are not expected to die down until Tuesday or Wednesday and has issued a red flag warning for much of central and north Florida for Monday.

"There's not a, quote, burn ban," said Jeremy Robshaw with St. Johns County Fire-Rescue. "We would just urge people not to burn when we have the winds and relative humidities we do today."

A second fire in St. Johns County on Sunday burned 40 or 50 acres before it was contained. Officials said that fire, in the Vermont Heights area, may have been intentionally set by three juveniles who were seen playing with a lighter.

Related Story: Flagler County Orders Burn Ban