The Hughes Fire, which started Wednesday, is the latest wildfire to wreak havoc in Los Angeles County.
Why does it matter?
Hughes is the latest fire to catch fire as deadly fires sweep through Southern California this month. The Palisades and Eaton fires, the largest in Los Angeles County, sparked numerous mandatory evacuations, destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 28 people.
What do you know?
The Hughes Fire has burned more than 5,000 acres in Los Angeles and Ventura counties since it started late Wednesday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).
The map below shows the spread of the fire in Southern California.
A red flag warning is in effect
The National Weather Service in Los Angeles (NWS) has issued red flag warnings for certain parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties amid strong Santa Ana winds.
Dry, windy conditions create “extreme fire weather conditions,” NWS Los Angeles said.
What is a red flag warning?
The red flag warning is in use during increased “fire danger” danger due to warm temperatures, low humidity and strong winds, according to the NWS website.
What areas need to be evacuated?
Evacuation orders have been issued for these areas:
- CAS-BISCAILUZ, CAS-BITTERCANYON, CAS-CAMBRIDGE, CAS-CASTAICLAKE, CAS-CHARLIECANYON, CAS-GOLDENSTATE, CAS-Greenhill, CAS-HASLEY, CAS-HILLCREST, CAS-PARADISERANCH, CAS-RIDGE, CAS-ROMERO, CAS- Sloan, LAC-E008, LAC-E029, LAC-FRANCESQUITO, SCL-KELLYJOHNSON, SCL-REYESADOBE, SCL-STERLING, SCL-TESORODELVALLE, VNC Zone 1.
Evacuation warnings are in place in these areas:
- CAS-INDUSTRY, CAS-LIVEOAK, CAS-OAKCANYON, CAS-VALVERDE, GOR-E004, GOR-HungryVALLEY, LAC-E005, LAC-E009-B, LAC-E011-A, LAC-E011-B, LAC-E016, LAC-E018, LAC-E030, SCL-BLACKPINE, SCL-CALEX, SCL-DECORO, SCL-MOUNTAINVIEW, SCL-PACIFICREST, SCL-RANCHOTESORO, SCL-REYESABODE, SCL-RIONORTE, SCL-WESTHILLS, SCL-RYE, VNC Zone 2.
The fire also led to the closure of roads in these locations:
- Ridge Route in Lake Hughes
- Ridge Route at Templin Hwy
- Lake Hughes in Payne Seine
- Dry Valley on the San Francisquito Sin Trail
- I-5 NB at the Parker Rd Off Ramp and I-5 NB at the Lake Hughes Rd ramp will be closed.
- Northbound I-5, all lanes are closed just north of State Route 126.
- I-5 Karma
What is the difference between an evacuation order and an evacuation warning?
An evacuation order is more serious than an evacuation warning because it means there is an immediate threat to your life, and you must leave the area the moment the order is issued.
An evacuation warning means there is imminent danger to your life or property, and you can assume that the evacuation order will stand. During an evacuation warning, it is important to gather your essential belongings to bring with you when an evacuation order is issued. People who need extra time to evacuate or have large animals should leave when the evacuation warning is issued rather than waiting for an evacuation order.
What people say
NWS meteorologist Ariel Cohen said Newsweek: “Critical fire conditions are ongoing. Winds from the northeast are 25-40 mph. Winds tonight may reach 50-60 mph.”
Cohen added that the Hughes Fire represents a “critical situation with potential conditions for explosive and rapid fire growth.”
NWS Los Angeles said on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday: “Severe fire-related weather conditions continue into Thursday with increased winds expected (particularly Thursday morning) and extreme dry conditions. For wildfire preparedness guidance, visit https://readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire/“.
Angeles National Forest, on Day X Wednesday: “#HughesFire Firefighters from the Angeles National Forest respond to a fire located off Lake Hughes Road north of Castaic Reservoir Road, Castaic.”
cal fire, In Wednesday’s status update: “Firefighters from the Angeles National Forest, along with CAL FIRE and local, state, federal and tribal partners, are responding to a fire located off Lake Hughes Road north of Castaic Reservoir Road, Castaic.”
What happens next
According to NWS Los Angeles, the red flag warning lasts through Friday morning. The fire is currently 0 percent contained and the cause of the fire is being investigated.
