Wildfire Near Los Angeles Spreads Rapidly, Forcing Evacuations of Over 31,000 People
A new wildfire that erupted north of Los Angeles on Wednesday has swiftly grown to more than 9,400 acres (38 square kilometers), driven by strong winds and dry vegetation. The blaze, dubbed the Hughes Fire, has prompted mandatory evacuation orders for over 31,000 residents, officials reported.
Located approximately 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, the Hughes Fire adds further strain to regional firefighting efforts. Crews have been working to contain two major wildfires that recently impacted the metropolitan area.
Within hours, the Hughes Fire expanded to nearly two-thirds the size of the Eaton Fire, one of the two massive blazes that have devastated the region. Authorities issued dire warnings to residents in the Castaic Lake area of Los Angeles County, highlighting an “immediate threat to life.” Southern California remains under a red-flag warning for extreme fire risk due to strong winds and prolonged dry conditions.
According to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, approximately 31,000 residents are under mandatory evacuation orders, with an additional 23,000 facing evacuation warnings. In response to the escalating situation, the Angeles National Forest has closed its entire 700,000-acre (2,800 square kilometer) park in the San Gabriel Mountains to visitors.
To combat the dangerous conditions, more than 1,100 firefighters were pre-deployed across Southern California, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said. An estimated 4,000 firefighters are actively working on the Hughes Fire, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone confirmed.
Southern California’s prolonged dry spell, with no significant rainfall for nine months, has heightened the fire risk. However, relief may be on the horizon, as rain is forecast from Saturday through Monday, potentially aiding firefighting efforts.
Aerial footage from KTLA television showed helicopters drawing water from a lake to douse the flames, while fixed-wing aircraft dropped fire retardant on the hills. Flames were seen spreading to the lake’s edge. Interstate 5, a critical north-south highway, was temporarily shut down in the Grapevine area due to smoke-induced poor visibility. Firefighters managed to subdue enough of the flames to reopen the highway, Marrone noted.
Meanwhile, the two major fires that have plagued Los Angeles since January 7 are now largely under control. The Eaton Fire, which scorched 14,021 acres (57 square kilometers) east of the city, is 91% contained, while the Palisades Fire,
which burned 23,448 acres (95 square kilometers) on Los Angeles’ west side, is 68% contained.
Containment percentages represent the proportion of a fire’s perimeter that has been secured by firefighters. Since their ignition, the two fires have devastated nearly 16,000 structures, claimed 28 lives, and displaced up to 180,000 residents at their peak, according to Los Angeles County officials. Cal Fire estimates that these fires have burned an area nearly equivalent to the size of Washington, DC.
Private weather forecaster AccuWeather has projected damage and economic losses from the fires at over $250 billion.
In addition to the Hughes Fire and the major blazes, a series of smaller wildfires have been extinguished or brought under control across Southern California in recent weeks.
