Los Angeles: A fast-moving wildfire, the Hughes fire, erupted in Los Angeles County, forcing tens of thousands of residents to evacuate the area, which is already grappling with its worst fire season.
The blaze ignited near Castaic Lake, 45 miles northwest of Los Angeles, and has rapidly grown to over 9,400 acres, fuelled by dry brush and strong winds.
Although no homes or businesses have been damaged, about 31,000 people are under mandatory evacuation orders, with another 23,000 under warnings. Interstate 5, a major highway running along the US West Coast, has been closed.
This fire is burning north of two massive blazes that devastated multiple neighbourhoods in Los Angeles earlier this month. Smaller fires have also ignited further south near Oceanside and San Diego, but those have been largely contained.
Locals near the Hughes fire were seen hosing down their homes, while fire crews from air and ground attempted to control the spread.
As the fire continues to grow, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone expressed cautious optimism, stating that crews were making progress despite the difficult conditions.
— L.A. County Fire Department (@LACoFDPIO) January 22, 2025
The region remains under a red flag warning due to strong winds and dry conditions, with winds blowing around 20 to 30 mph, expected to strengthen throughout the day, making firefighting efforts harder.
Firefighters are concerned that if the blaze crosses Castaic Lake, it could quickly escalate into a more dynamic situation. Winds are pushing the fire in that direction, toward areas populated by around 20,000 residents. Evacuations have also affected local institutions, including a jail, where nearly 500 inmates were evacuated.
California’s dry conditions, exacerbated by the Santa Ana winds, are making these fires particularly difficult to combat. The recent fires, including the Palisades and Eaton fires earlier this month, killed at least 28 people and destroyed over 10,000 homes and businesses.
Dana Dierkes, a spokesperson for the Angeles National Forest said that, “We don’t have a fire season in California, we have a fire year.”
Rain is forecast for the weekend, which may help extinguish the fires, but it brings concerns about mudslides and flooding.
Burned areas are more susceptible to such risks as they cannot absorb water as easily, prompting Governor Gavin Newsom to sign an executive order to support flood and landslide preparations. Emergency crews are already filling sandbags in anticipation of these new threats.
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