A fast-moving brush fire broke out north of Los Angeles on Wednesday and quickly spread to thousands of acres due to strong winds. The fire, named the Hughes Fire, started near Castaic Lake and had burned more than 10,000 acres by Thursday evening. By then, it was 36% contained, according to Cal Fire, the state’s fire agency. Thankfully, no structures have been destroyed.
More than 31,000 people were ordered to evacuate Wednesday, but by Thursday afternoon, the mandatory orders were lifted. However, around 54,900 people remained under evacuation warnings, meaning they should be ready to leave if necessary, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said.
The fire spread rapidly due to the strong Santa Ana winds and dry vegetation, which helped fuel the flames. “This was one of those tough, fast-moving fires,” said Brent Pascua, a Cal Fire battalion chief. The region had been under a high wind warning and critical fire conditions, making firefighting efforts more difficult. The fire started around 10:24 a.m. on Wednesday near Lake Hughes Road, close to Castaic Lake.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
In addition to the Hughes Fire, a second fire broke out Wednesday in the Sepulveda Pass near Sherman Oaks and UCLA. This fire grew to 40 acres but was quickly contained and was 60% under control by Thursday. The National Weather Service continued issuing “red flag” warnings until Friday morning due to the risk of more fires starting quickly.
Fire officials noted that while the winds that fueled the Hughes Fire weren’t as strong as those that caused other recent fires, they were still strong enough to make firefighting efforts challenging.
Experts say climate change is contributing to conditions that make wildfires more common and dangerous. Earlier this month, two other major fires, the Palisades and Eaton fires, devastated Los Angeles County, destroying thousands of homes and killing at least 28 people. The Palisades Fire, which burned more than 23,000 acres, is 72% contained, while the Eaton Fire, which burned over 14,000 acres, is 95% contained. Both of these fires were fueled by extremely strong winds, reaching speeds over 80 mph, similar to hurricane-strength winds, which created intense firestorms.
