With high winds driving the flames, a fast-moving wildfire exploded to roughly 10,200 acres near the Los Angeles County community of Castaic Wednesday, prompting mandatory evacuation orders for tens of thousands of people.

The Palisades and Eaton wildfires continue burning in the Los Angeles area that left parts of Southern California with devastating fire damage.

Firefighters are responding to a brush fire in the Castaic area of Los Angeles County Wednesday morning, according to the Angeles National Forest.

The Hughes Fire has now burned 8,096 acres in Los Angeles and Ventura counties since igniting late Wednesday morning near Castaic Lake, according to Cal Fire. More than 24,00 people have been ordered to evacuate due to the Hughes Fire. Another 30,000 people are in evacuation warning zones.

Powerful winds and bone-dry conditions could pose a challenge to firefighters battling new wildfires in southern California on Thursday, including a blaze that swelled over the past day and forced tens of thousands of evacuations north of Los Angeles.

The Hughes fire seen from Magic Mountain has started north of Castaic and has exploded to more than 5,000 acres in under two hours on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, in Castaic, California. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times/TNS) (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

The approximately 10,176-acre Hughes Fire burning northeast of Castaic Lake in northern Los Angeles County has created smoke

Firefighters responded to a brush fire Wednesday north of Los Angeles on a day of red flag warnings for parts of Southern California.

Firefighters responded to a brush fire Wednesday north of Los Angeles on a day of red flag warnings for parts of Southern California.

A fire north of a jail complex in Castaic has triggered evacuations in L.A. County, even as Southern California hopes for some rain to help with firefighting efforts.

The Sepulveda fire was the latest blaze in a nerve-racking week as Southern California headed into a fourth consecutive day of red flag fire weather warnings.

Fire crews are battling a swiftly growing blaze dubbed the Hughes Fire burning near Interstate 5 in Castaic, in the northern part of Los Angeles County.