A new wildfire has burned more than 3,750 hectares near Castaic Lake, about 80 km (50 miles) north of Los Angeles.
More than 50,000 residents of the US state of California have been warned that I’m evacuating their homes after a fast-moving wildfire broke out in the mountains north of Los Angeles.
The Hughes Fire has already burned about 3,750 hectares (9,266 acres) since it broke out on Wednesday and is still not contained.
This latest fire has added to the strain on regional firefighters, who have largely contained two large wildfires, the Palisades and Eaton fires, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. More than 4,000 firefighters are now battling the Hughes fire, LA County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said.
Where is the Hughes Wildfire burning?
The Hughes Fire is burning near Lake Hughes Road, near Castaic Lake, a large reservoir and popular recreation area north of Los Angeles.
The area is about 64 km (40 miles) from the Eaton and Palisades fires, which have been burning for three weeks.
It is estimated that around 18,600 people live in the local community ferocious flames have devoured the trees and brush on the hillsides around Castaic Lake.
What is the status of the Palisades and Eaton fires?
According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, there are at least three large active fires throughout the state. They include:
- Palisade Fire – 9,489 hectares (23,448 acres) burned, 70 percent localized.
- Eaton Fire – 5,674 hectares (14,021 acres) burned, 95 percent contained.
- Hughes Fire – 3,750 hectares (9,266 acres) burned, 0 percent contained.
Four smaller fires, including those named Lilac, Clay, Sepulveda and Center, also burned tens of acres of land across the state.
Containment means creating a barrier around the fire to prevent its spread. However, this does not mean that the fire is completely under control or safe.
What’s driving these latest fires?
Like the Palisades and Eaton fires, strong winds through mountain valleys, combined with high temperatures and low humidity, started the Hughes Fire.
California often faces exceptional drought conditions. Droughts deplete the moisture of trees, grass and soil making the landscape highly flammable.
Winter forest fires, once rare, have become more frequent. As the climate warms, the idea of specific wildfire seasons has shifted to the reality of year-round fires.
Large parts of California are currently experiencing abnormally dry levels, with areas in the east of the state facing severe and extreme drought levels.
Water reservoirs have reached critically low levels, threatening both agriculture and the water supply of millions of inhabitants.
What are the Santa Ana winds?
Santa Ana winds are strong, dry winds that occur in Southern California, usually in the fall and winter months.
These winds blow from inland desert regions toward the coast and are driven by high pressure systems over the Great Basin, an area farther inland, reaching hurricane-force winds of 160 km/h (100 mph).
How big are the wildfires in LA?
The fires in LA have burned at least 16,425 hectares (40,587 acres) of land so far. That’s about the same size as Washington, DC, about half the size of Philadelphia, one-eighth the size of Los Angeles, or about 30,000 football fields.
California typically experiences thousands of wildfires each year. These fires range from small brush fires to large, devastating fires that burn tens of thousands of hectares.
