Los Angeles, January 23, 2025 – The Europe Today: A rapidly spreading brush fire, dubbed the Hughes Fire, erupted in Los Angeles County on Wednesday morning, quickly growing to 8,096 acres (32.76 square kilometers) with zero containment, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).
The fire, which broke out around 10:30 a.m. local time (1830 GMT) near Lake Hughes Road near Castaic Lake, located approximately 80 km northwest of downtown Los Angeles, expanded at an alarming rate, crossing the county line into neighboring Ventura County in less than six hours.
Fueled by dry vegetation and gusting Santa Ana winds, the blaze intensified swiftly, prompting mandatory evacuations for approximately 19,000 residents in the affected areas. As the fire spread, students from middle and elementary schools in the Castaic community were evacuated on Wednesday afternoon. Additionally, the Castaic Sports Complex, which has been used as a command post by firefighters, was placed under a mandatory evacuation order.
The Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic also evacuated 476 inmates to the nearby North County Correction Facility as a precautionary measure.
The latest fire adds to the devastating series of wildfires that have plagued Los Angeles County this month, following the deadly Palisades and Eaton fires. These blazes have claimed at least 28 lives, forced widespread evacuations, and caused significant damage to property.
The National Weather Service issued a warning for continuing high winds in Southern California, expected to persist through the afternoon and overnight. Meteorologist Ariel Cohen cautioned that these winds could exacerbate the fire, causing “explosive fire behavior” and further complicating firefighting efforts.
“This is a very volatile situation, and everyone needs to be prepared,” Cohen said. The fire remains a significant threat as authorities continue to monitor the situation and work to contain the blaze.
