Los Angeles (TDI): A new wildfire, the Hughes Fire, erupted north of Los Angeles on Wednesday and rapidly spread to over 9,400 acres, forcing mandatory evacuations for more than 31,000 people.
The fire, fueled by strong winds and dry brush, prompted evacuation orders for people in the Castaic Lake area of Los Angeles County, which is facing an “immediate threat to life.”
Firefighters are working to control the fire, which grew quickly in just a few hours, becoming nearly two-thirds the size of the Eaton Fire, one of two major blazes that have been burning in the Los Angeles area.
With Southern California under a red-flag warning due to extreme fire risk, nearly 1,100 firefighters were deployed across the region.
The Angeles National Forest, which covers 700,000 acres in the San Gabriel Mountains, has been closed to visitors.
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Authorities are also dealing with poor visibility caused by smoke, leading to temporary closures on Interstate 5 in the Grapevine area, though the highway has since reopened.
While the new blaze rages, the Eaton Fire, which scorched 14,021 acres east of Los Angeles, is 91 percent contained, and the Palisades Fire, which burned 23,448 acres on the west side of the city, is 68 percent contained.
28 Dead, 16, 000 Structures Lost
Since January 7, these fires have killed 28 people, damaged or destroyed approximately 16,000 structures, and led to the evacuation of 180,000 people at one point.
AccuWeather projects damage and economic losses from the wildfires to surpass $250 billion.
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While some smaller blazes have been brought under control, firefighters continue to battle the ongoing fires in the region.
