On Wednesday, a rapidly spreading brush fire engulfed thousands of acres of dense vegetation near Castaic Lake, forcing mandatory evacuations in the Castaic Lake area and issuing warnings that extended to nearby Santa Clarita and reached the border of Ventura County.
Castaic is an unplanned community located about 40 miles northwest of Los Angeles with a population of 20,000 residents. Over the past two weeks, strong winds have triggered several deadly wildfires in the Los Angeles area, resulting in at least 28 fatalities and the destruction of over 15,000 structures, including thousands of homes.
According to reports from the city’s news agency citing the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, a new fire known as the Hughes Fire broke out around 11 a.m. on Wednesday near Castaic Lake along Lake Hughes Road, adjacent to Interstate 5. Fueled by the Santa Ana winds and dry vegetation, the fire quickly spread, initially consuming 500 acres of brush before crossing roads and continuing its rampage, reaching 8,096 acres by late afternoon.
A vast area surrounding Castaic Lake, including the Castaic Lake community, has been issued mandatory evacuation orders. Evacuation warnings also extend to the Lake Piru area west of Castaic in Ventura County. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna reported that as of early afternoon, approximately 19,000 individuals had been evacuated, with an additional 16,000 receiving evacuation alerts.
Multiple roads have been closed, with a section of the northbound Grapevine off-ramp to Interstate 5 and southbound Highway 126 shut down. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) has advised drivers to remain vigilant due to heavy smoke.
More than ten aircraft are already in the air conducting water drops and releasing retardant over the fire, including two fixed-wing Super Scooper planes leased by Los Angeles County. Firefighters from the Los Angeles County Fire Department and the Angeles National Forest are working to contain the blaze. The cause of the fire remains unknown, and the area remains under a red flag fire alert until Friday at 10 a.m. There have been no reports of injuries at this time.
Local elementary and middle schools have been evacuated, with students relocated to a supermarket parking lot awaiting pickup by parents. An evacuation center for Hughes Fire evacuees has been set up at Valencia High School located at 27801 Dickson Drive.
For small animals, they can be brought to the Palmdale Animal Care Center at 38550 Sierra Highway. Both large and small animals can be taken to the Lancaster Animal Care Center at 5210 W. Avenue I.