A rapidly spreading wildfire has broken out in the mountains north of Los Angeles, engulfing approximately 8.1 square miles of vegetation and prompting the evacuation of thousands of residents.
The Hughes Fire, located near Castaic Lake in Los Angeles County, about 50 miles north of the city, has been deemed by firefighters as posing a severe “threat to life”.
Residents were sent into panic mode as a ferocious wildfire quickly engulfed trees and brush on the nearby hillsides.
The huge column of dark smoke from the Hughes Fire could be seen from across the region, signalling the urgency of the situation as firefighters desperately tried to stop the blaze from spreading southward towards the foothill communities.
Robert Jensen, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, warned residents not to ignore evacuation orders, citing the deadly consequences of such complacency in previous wildfires.
“If you’ve been issued an evacuation order, please get out,” he urged.
Police patrolled the Castaic area, warning residents to evacuate, as firefighting crews on the ground and water-dropping aircraft worked to prevent the fire from spreading southward towards more densely populated foothill communities.
The blaze has been worsened by strong, dry Santa Ana winds, which pushed smoke and embers ahead of the flames.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department and Angeles National Forest crews are actively combating the fire. The cause of the blaze remains unknown, but it coincides with red flag fire warnings due to strong winds and low humidity, conditions ideal for rapid fire spread.
Dramatic video of the fire’s rapid growth was shared by the University of California San Diego via its ALERTCalifornia online platform. The footage shows a massive smoke cloud forming as the fire quickly spreads across the hillsides.
US President Donald Trump, who criticised the response to earlier wildfires during his inaugural address on Monday, announced plans to visit Los Angeles on Friday.
Meanwhile, progress has been made in controlling the Eaton and Palisades fires, which have ravaged other parts of Los Angeles.
According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), the Eaton Fire has been largely contained, with only 9% of the wildfire still raging after destroying 14,021 acres of land to the east of Los Angeles.
Meanwhile, the Palisades Fire, which has consumed an estimated 23,448 acres on the city’s west side, is nearly 70% contained.
The devastating effects of these two fires have been catastrophic, claiming 28 lives, and damaging or destroying around 16,000 structures.
