Firefighters Work to Keep Control of Massive Blaze North of Los Angeles

CASTAIC, Calif.—Firefighters are working diligently to stay ahead of a large and fast-moving wildfire that has spread through the rugged terrain north of Los Angeles, leading to evacuation orders and warnings for over 50,000 residents.

The Hughes Fire ignited on Wednesday morning and rapidly consumed nearly 16 square miles of trees and brush near Castaic Lake, a well-known recreational spot located about 40 miles from the existing Eaton and Palisades fires, which have been burning for three weeks.

Despite the region being under a red flag warning due to critical fire conditions, wind speeds were lower than during the initial outbreaks of the other wildfires, enabling firefighting planes to drop tens of thousands of gallons of flame retardant on the blaze. By Wednesday evening, roughly 14 percent of the Hughes Fire had been contained.

“The circumstances we face today are significantly different from what we encountered 16 days ago,” stated Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone on Wednesday evening.

Red flag warnings in Los Angeles and Ventura counties were extended until 10 a.m. Friday. Officials remained vigilant, concerned that the Palisades and Eaton fires might breach containment lines as they monitored for hot spots.

An evacuation warning was issued for Sherman Oaks following a brush fire on Sepulveda Pass near the I-405 Freeway. The fire was reported just after 11 p.m. Wednesday, but by early Thursday morning, the Los Angeles Fire Department announced that the fire’s advance had been halted at about 40 acres (16 hectares), leading to the lifting of the evacuation warning. No structures were harmed, and there were no reported injuries, although firefighters remained active at the site.

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According to LA County Sheriff Robert Luna, over 31,000 residents have been ordered to evacuate due to the Hughes Fire, with an additional 23,000 under evacuation warnings. Fortunately, there have been no reports of homes or other structures being destroyed.

Sections of Interstate 5 that were shut down near the Hughes Fire were reopened by Wednesday evening.

A 30-mile stretch of this crucial north-south highway had been closed to facilitate the movement of emergency vehicles and equipment, as well as to prevent accidents caused by smoke. Crews on the ground and in aerial units worked tirelessly to stop the wind-driven fire from continuing across the interstate toward Castaic.

Fire Chief Marrone noted that due to the reduced wind speeds compared to two weeks prior, aircraft crews successfully dropped fire retardant on the southern flank of the fire, where the flames were advancing. More than 4,000 firefighters are currently assigned to combat the blaze.

Wind gusts in the area reached 42 mph in the afternoon, climbing to 65 mph in certain mountainous locations by Wednesday night, according to meteorologist David Roth from the National Weather Service.

Kayla Amara arrived in Castaic’s Stonegate neighborhood to gather belongings from a friend’s home, as her friend had rushed to pick up her daughter from preschool. While loading her car, Amara learned that the fire had expanded significantly and opted to douse the property with water.

“Others are doing the same to their homes. I hope there will be a house to return to,” Amara said, watching police patrol through the streets as flames consumed trees on a hillside nearby.

Amara, a nurse from neighboring Valencia, expressed her stress after weeks of worrying over major wildfires ravaging Southern California.

“It’s been stressful with the other fires, but with this one so close, it’s just incredibly tense,” she expressed.

To the south, Los Angeles officials began preparations for potential rainfall, even as some residents were allowed back to their charred neighborhoods in Pacific Palisades and Altadena. The weather service predicted gusty winds to persist through Thursday, with possible precipitation beginning Saturday.

“Rain is forecasted, and the risk of mud and debris flow in our fire-damaged communities is very real,” noted Supervisor Kathryn Barger during a Wednesday morning press conference.

Firefighters were preparing sandbags for local communities, while county workers set up barriers and cleared drainage systems.

“Even short exposure can cause skin irritation and lead to more severe health issues,” Ferrer stated Wednesday, urging residents to wear protective gear while tidying up.

California Republicans are opposing proposals from President Donald Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and other GOP members suggesting that federal disaster assistance for wildfire victims should have conditions attached. Trump is set to visit California on Friday to assess the damage firsthand, though it remains uncertain whether he will meet with Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom during his visit.

The heightened fire risk is exacerbated by low humidity, extremely dry vegetation, and powerful winds, as firefighters continue combatting the Palisades and Eaton fires, which have claimed at least 28 lives and destroyed more than 14,000 buildings since igniting on January 7. The containment level for the Palisades Fire is currently at 70 percent, while the Eaton Fire is at 95 percent.

On Wednesday, Luna reported that his department is still handling 22 active missing person cases across both fire zones, all involving adults.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms is investigating the causes of the fires, with no results released as of yet.

Numerous lawsuits have been filed by those who lost their homes in the Eaton Fire, alleging that equipment from Southern California Edison sparked the fire. A judge overseeing one of these lawsuits ordered the utility company to provide data from circuits in the region where the blaze originated.

By Christopher Weber and Marcio Jose Sanchez