Hughes Fire forces evacuation of tens of thousands in northern L.A. County.

 

Updated: Jan 23, 2025 / 06:05 AM PST

Tens of thousands of residents remain under evacuation orders and warnings Thursday morning as firefighters work to contain the Hughes Fire near Castaic.

The fire, which broke out around 11 a.m. Wednesday along Lake Hughes Road near Castaic Lake, quickly spread due to strong winds and challenging terrain. By 11:36 p.m. Wednesday, the blaze had burned 10,176 acres, with containment at 14%, according to Cal Fire.

Firefighters continued to make progress overnight, tackling flare-ups and cooling hotspots. While winds were calmer early Thursday, stronger gusts are expected to return later in the morning.

So far, no homes or structures have been reported lost, but approximately 31,000 people, including those in Castaic, are under evacuation orders. A portion of Ventura County near Lake Piru is also within the mandatory evacuation zone.

Another 23,000 people are under evacuation warnings, including residents of Ventura County south of Lake Piru. An evacuation center has been set up at the College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, located at 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road.

The 5 Freeway was temporarily closed between the 126 Freeway and Grapevine Road due to the fire, but was reopened by the California Highway Patrol Wednesday evening.

All schools in the Castaic Union School District are closed Thursday because of the fire, with additional closures in the William S. Hart Union High School District and the Saugus Union Elementary School District. A full list of closures is available.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.