A new wildfire, dubbed the Hughes Fire, erupted north of Los Angeles on Wednesday, rapidly consuming over 9,400 acres (38 square kilometers) of dry brush and fueled by strong winds. Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued for more than 31,000 residents, while another 23,000 remain under evacuation warnings, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna confirmed.
The fire, located roughly 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Los Angeles in the Castaic Lake area, poses an "immediate threat to life," officials warned. The Angeles National Forest, spanning 700,000 acres (2,800 square kilometers) in the San Gabriel Mountains, has been completely closed to visitors as firefighters battle the blaze.
As of Wednesday, more than 4,000 firefighters were working to contain the Hughes Fire, while 1,100 additional personnel were preemptively deployed across Southern California due to extreme fire conditions. Helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft have been deployed to drop water and fire retardant, as flames reached the water's edge at Castaic Lake.
Interstate 5, a critical north-south route, was temporarily closed in the Grapevine mountain pass due to low visibility caused by heavy smoke. However, firefighters were able to suppress enough of the fire to reopen the highway, according to Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone.
Southern California has not experienced significant rainfall in nine months, creating hazardous conditions for wildfires. Relief may be on the horizon, as rain is forecast from Saturday through Monday, potentially aiding containment efforts.
While the Hughes Fire rages, firefighters have made progress on two major fires that have devastated the Los Angeles area since January 7. The Eaton Fire, which scorched 14,021 acres (57 square kilometers) east of Los Angeles, is 91% contained, while the Palisades Fire, which consumed 23,448 acres (95 square kilometers) west of the city, is 68% contained.
Combined, the two fires have burned an area nearly the size of Washington, D.C., killed 28 people, and destroyed nearly 16,000 structures. At the height of the crisis, 180,000 residents were under evacuation orders.
Private forecaster AccuWeather estimates the damage and economic losses from the fires to exceed $250 billion. In the past two weeks, several smaller wildfires across Southern California have been extinguished or brought under control, but the region remains at high risk due to ongoing dry and windy conditions.
Authorities continue to urge residents to stay vigilant and heed evacuation orders as firefighters work tirelessly to combat the flames.