CASTAIC, CA— Another rapidly burning wildfire is spreading in the greater Los Angeles region. The Hughes Fire, which started on Wednesday morning, has quickly grown to over 9,000 acres, leading to evacuation orders for approximately 31,000 residents. As of right now, it is 0% contained.
The fire is located approximately 45 miles northwest of Los Angeles, near Castaic Lake, and has been spreading rapidly, with flames advancing over 23 football fields every minute.
“That one’s gonna go nuclear. It’s big,” said wildfire expert Jacob Weigler to The New York Post.
Despite the rapid spread, no homes or businesses have been damaged so far. Firefighters have been working tirelessly, both on the ground and in the air, to contain the blaze.
“The situation that we’re in today is very different from the situation we were in 16 days ago,” Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said. “This fire had a robust response today, and as you can see behind us, the responders are doing great work to try to contain this fire.”
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued red flag warnings for most of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties due to strong Santa Ana winds and low humidity.
“There are critical fire conditions ongoing. Winds out of the northeast are 25-40 miles per hour,” said NWS Meteorologist Ariel Cohen. “Winds tonight could gust up to 50-60 miles per hour.”
As the region prepares for more extreme weather, concerns have arisen about the toxic runoff from the ash and debris left behind by the fires. “Certainly, we are not out of the woods yet,” added Cal Fire Director Joe Tyler.
Firefighters in Los Angeles have been battling multiple wildfires that have claimed the lives of 28 people over the past few weeks, with varying degrees of success. One of the most challenging fires is the Palisades Fire, which started on January 7. It is currently 59% contained and has burned over 23,700 acres. Despite the progress made, the fire continues to threaten thousands of structures within its perimeter.
The Eaton Fire, another significant blaze, has seen more substantial containment efforts. It is currently 87% contained and has burned approximately 14,000 acres. Firefighters have successfully extinguished hot spots and strengthened containment lines, which has allowed some residents to return to their homes.
The Hughes Fire is among several wildfires that have devastated Southern California this month, including the Palisades and Eaton fires, which have caused widespread destruction and displaced thousands of residents.
