A new fast-moving wildfire has broken out in Los Angeles County, prompting evacuations in a region already hit by the most devastating wildfires in its history.
The Hughes Fire burned north of the city Wednesday afternoon, near Castaic Lake in a mountainous area that borders several residential neighborhoods and schools.
The wildfire grew to more than 5,000 hectares in just two hours, fueled by strong winds. No homes or businesses were damaged.
The new blaze is burning north of two massive blazes — still burning — that destroyed multiple neighborhoods in Los Angeles County earlier this month.
Two other fires were burning farther south near San Diego and Oceanside, officials said.
Both are smaller — 85 acres for the Lilac fire near Oceanside and 3.9 acres for the Bernardo fire — but they burned in populated areas. Fire crews appear to have both fires under control, with evacuation orders largely lifted and progress halted.
In Los Angeles County, local news reports showed those near the Hughes fire dousing their homes and yards with water and others rushing to evacuate neighborhoods.
Orange flames rimmed the mountains as the aircraft released water and flame retardant.
The region is again under a red flag warning, which warns of high fire danger due to strong winds and dry conditions with low humidity.
Winds in the area are 20 to 30 mph, but are forecast to increase during the day, which could allow the fire to spread and make it difficult for aircrews to continue the battle from above.
One woman who evacuated her home told NBC 4 she was stuck on Interstate 5, the main highway that cuts through the area and runs north and south through California.
“It looked like a cloud, but when you got closer it looked like we were driving into hell,” she said of the dark smoke and red flames she saw. “It was pretty scary to be honest with you.”
She admitted she was on edge after watching the Palisades and Eaton fires burn nearby, killing at least 28 people and decimating more than 10,000 homes and businesses.
“I don’t know why they keep coming up,” she said. “It’s definitely a scary time in this area.”
