CASTAIC, Calif. (AP) — A massive and fast-moving wildfire has ripped through the rugged mountains north of Los Angeles, prompting evacuation orders or warnings for more than 50,000 people as firefighters battle to contain the situation.
The Hughes Fire broke out late Wednesday morning and in less than a day scorched nearly 16 square miles (41 square kilometers) of trees and brush near Castaic Lake, a popular recreation site District, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) from the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires that have been burning for a third week.
Although the area is under a red flag warning of severe fire risk, winds are not as fast as when fires broke out, allowing firefighting aircraft to dump tens of thousands of gallons of retardant on recent fires. As of Wednesday evening, the Hughes Fire was about 14% contained.
News you can trust and daily fun, right in your inbox
See it for yourself — The Yodel is your go-to source for daily news, entertainment and light-hearted stories.
“The situation we are in today is very different than the situation we were in 16 days ago,” Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said Wednesday night.
Red flag warnings for Los Angeles and Ventura counties were extended until 10 a.m. Friday. Officials remain concerned that fires in the Palisade and Eaton could breach containment lines as firefighters continue to search for hot spots.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said more than 31,000 people have been ordered to evacuate from the Hughes Fire, and another 23,000 people are under evacuation warnings. There were no reports of homes or other buildings being burned.
Parts of Interstate 5 near the Hughes Fire were reopened Wednesday night.
A 30-mile (48-kilometer) stretch of main north-south highway has been closed to emergency vehicles, mobile equipment and to prevent accidents caused by billowing smoke. Crews on the ground and in water jets tried to stop the wind-driven fire from spreading across the interstate toward Castaic.
Because winds were not as strong as they were two weeks ago, crews were able to drop retardant on the south side of the fire where the flames were moving, Marrone said. He said more than 4,000 firefighters were dispatched to the blaze.
In the afternoon, wind gusts were 42 mph (67 km/h) in the area. As of Wednesday evening, winds in some mountainous areas had reached 65 mph (105 kph), according to National Weather Service meteorologist David Roth.
Kayla Amara drove to the Stonegate neighborhood of Castaic to collect items from the home of a friend who was rushing to pick up her daughter from kindergarten. As Amara packed up her car, she learned that the fire had grown and decided to hose down the house.
“Other people are also hosing down their houses. I wish there was a house here to go back to,” Amara said as police cars raced down the street and flames engulfed trees on the distant hillside.
Amara, a nurse who lives near Valencia, said she has been on edge for weeks as wildfires raged across Southern California.
“Other fires have put stress on us, but now this fire is so close to home it’s very stressful,” she said.
To the south, Los Angeles officials began preparing for possible rain, although some residents were allowed to return to the scorched Pacific Palisades and Altadena areas. Gusty conditions are expected to continue through Thursday, with a chance of rain starting Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.
“With the rain expected, fire-affected communities do face the risk of mudslides,” Supervisor Kathryn Barger said at a news conference Wednesday morning.
Firefighters were filling sandbags in neighborhoods while county crews installed barriers and cleared drainage pipes and basins.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass warned that winds could carry ash and advised Angelenos to visit the city’s website to learn how to protect themselves from toxic air during the recent Santa Ana wind event. Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer warned that ash can contain heavy metals, arsenic and other harmful substances.
“Even brief contact can cause skin irritation and lead to more serious problems,” Ferrer said Wednesday, asking people to wear protective gear while cleaning up.
Humidity is low, vegetation is bone dry and winds are strong as firefighters continue to battle the Palisades and Eaton fires. Already reached 70 people.
Luna said Wednesday that his department was still investigating 22 missing persons reports in the two fire districts. He said all those reported missing were adults.
The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms is investigating the cause of the fire but has not released any findings.
People who lost their homes in the Eaton Fire have filed multiple lawsuits alleging that Southern California Edison equipment started the fires. On Tuesday, a judge in one of the lawsuits ordered the utility to provide data on circuits in the area where the fire started.
___
Weber reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press writers Ethan Swope (Castaic), Halle Golden (Seattle), Jamie Din (Los Angeles) and Julie Walker (New York) contributed to this report.
