A fire erupted on Wednesday north of Los Angeles, prompting mandatory evacuations.
“Dubbed the Hughes Fire, it started near Castaic Lake — off Lake Hughes Road just north of Castaic Reservoir Road — before it quickly grew to 500 acres within an hour,” CBS News reports.
“HughesFire has been identified at Lake Hughes Road, North of the Castaic Reservoir,” the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station wrote.
HughesFire has been identified at Lake Hughes Road, North of the Castaic Reservoir.
Evacuation ORDERS issued for:
CAS-CastaicLake
Evacuation WARNINGS issued for:
CAS-BitterCanyon
— SCV Sheriff (@SCVSHERIFF) January 22, 2025
#HughesFire
Acres: 3,400 acres
Containment: 0%Evacuation ORDERS issued for:
-Castaic Lake
-Ridge Route
-Paradise Ranch Rd
-North Lake Elementary
-Sloan Cyn Rd
-Green Hill Drive
-Hill Crest Park Way
-Romeaow Cyn Drive
-Hasley Cyn
-Canebridge Area
-Charlie Canyon Area… pic.twitter.com/U4S2bwjyn0— Angeles National Forest (@Angeles_NF) January 22, 2025
Per CBS News:
By 12:30 p.m., less than two hours after it was first reported by fire officials, it had ripped through a total of 3,407 acres with 0% containment, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.
“It does have a high potential for spread because we are looking at 32 mph winds as we speak,” LA County Fire Department Captain Sheila Kelliher Berkoh said. “Those winds are supposed to pick up as the afternoon progresses into the evening.”
ADVERTISEMENTCal Fire reported it was moving with a “rapid rate of spread,” the flames breaking out while that area of the Santa Clarita Valley was under a Red Flag Warning, with extremely low humidity and Santa Ana winds increasing the risks of wildfires.
Authorities expanded mandatory evacuation orders as the wildfire continued to quickly spread.
BRUSH FIRE | FS149 | NB 5 at Lake Hughes Rd. #Castaic | #LACoFD We advise you to keep your phones charged and pay attention to evacuation orders and warnings. Visit this link for more information regarding the fire. https://t.co/Jh1gau00rn#Hughesfire
— L.A. County Fire Department (@LACoFDPIO) January 22, 2025
#HughesFire is a monster, getting close to 4000 acres in size with no end in sight. The 5 freeway is sitting square in its path right now. The entire grapevine might ignite if this isn’t stopped in time. Thousands of homes are in danger.
This fire is moving 35 acres per minute,… pic.twitter.com/DuUd8RbULD
— CAL WIRE (@calwireupdates) January 22, 2025
Santa Clarita Valley Signal reports:
Los Angeles County Fire Department and Angeles National Forest Service personnel are battling a fast-moving brush fire that started near Castaic Lake shortly after 10:40 a.m. Wednesday and quickly prompted evacuation orders for the lake and large swaths of Castaic.
The blaze, being called the Hughes Fire, spread quickly along both sides of Lake Hughes Road to the northeast of the lake, and radio dispatch traffic shortly after 11 a.m. indicated spot fires were popping up near the Ridge Route, approaching Interstate 5, prompting evacuations of residences, businesses and schools in the Castaic area.
As of 12:20 p.m., the fire has grown in size to 3,004 acres with 0% containment, according to a post on X by the Angeles National Forest.
A post by ANF at 12:47 p.m. stated that Valencia High School, located at 27801 Dickason Drive, is being used as a temporary evacuation point.
Castaic Sports Complex and Paradise Ranch Mobile Home Park were placed under evacuation order as of 11:20 a.m.
ADVERTISEMENTNorth Lake Hills Elementary was also being evacuated just after 11:30 a.m., according to Charmin Ortega, executive assistant to the superintendent of the Castaic Union School District.
Castaic High School, Castaic Middle School and Castaic Elementary School were all listed as being under evacuation orders as of 11:40 a.m.
Castaic Middle and elementary school students were being evacuated to the Ralph’s parking lost at Hasley Canyon Road, while North Lake students were being evacuated to the Castaic Sports Complex, according to the CHP Newhall-area office.
WATCH:
This is a Guest Post from our friends over at 100 Percent Fed Up.
Join the conversation!
Please share your thoughts about this article below. We value your opinions, and would love to see you add to the discussion!