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Firefighters struggled to maintain control of a massive, fast-moving wildfire that ripped through the rugged mountains north of Los Angeles, prompting more than 50,000 people to evacuation orders and warnings.
The Hughes Fire broke out late Wednesday morning, less than a day after it devastated Castaic Lake, a popular recreational area about 40 miles (64 kilometers) from Eaton and Palisades. It scorched nearly 16 square miles (41 square kilometers) of nearby trees and brush. The fire has been burning for three weeks.
The area was red flagged for severe fire danger, but the winds were not as strong as they were at the time of the fire, allowing fire engines to drop tens of thousands of gallons of retardant on the blaze. . By Wednesday night, about 14% of the Hughes Fire was contained.
“The situation we’re in today is very different than the situation we were in 16 days ago,” Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Malone said Wednesday night.
A red flag warning has been extended until 10 a.m. Friday for Los Angeles and Ventura counties. As firefighters continue to monitor hot spots, officials remain concerned that the Palisades and Eaton fires could rupture containment lines.
In Sherman Oaks, an approximately 10-acre (4-hectare) brush fire in Sepulveda Pass near Interstate 405 prompted an evacuation advisory. The fire was first reported Wednesday just after 11 p.m.
More than 31,000 people have been ordered to evacuate due to the Hughes Fire, and another 23,000 people are under evacuation warnings, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said. There were no reports of houses or other structures burning.
See in photos: Hughes Fire grows rapidly, forcing evacuations across Los Angeles County
A portion of Interstate 5 near the Hughes Fire that had been closed reopened Wednesday night.
A 30-mile (48-kilometer) stretch of the main north-south artery was closed to emergency vehicles due to heavy smoke and to prevent equipment movement and accidents. Crews on the ground and in water-dropping aircraft tried to stop the wind-driven fire from crossing the interstate toward Castaic.
Marrone said winds were not as strong as they were two weeks ago, allowing air crews to drop retardant on the south side of the fire, where flames were moving. He said more than 4,000 firefighters were dispatched to the blaze.
In the afternoon, winds in the area were gusting up to 67 km/h. By Wednesday night, wind speeds had reached 105 km/h in some parts of the mountains, said National Weather Service meteorologist David Ross.
Kayla Amara drove to the Stonegate neighborhood of Castaic to collect items from a friend’s house who had rushed to pick up her daughter from kindergarten. Amara was packing her car when she realized the fire had spread rapidly and decided to hose down the property.
“Other people are hosing down their houses too. I hope I have a home here to go to,” Amara said as police cars drove by and flames engulfed trees on a distant hillside. Ta.
Amara, a nurse who lives near Valencia, said she has been on edge for weeks as massive fires devastated Southern California.
“Other fires have been stressful, but this fire is so close to home that it’s extremely stressful,” she said.
In the south, Los Angeles officials began preparing for possible rain, even as some residents were allowed to return to the burned-out Pacific Palisades and Altadena areas. The Bureau of Meteorology said the gusty winds are expected to continue into Thursday, with a chance of rain starting Saturday.
“With rain in the forecast, the threat of debris flows and mudslides is real in the fire-affected areas,” Superintendent Kathryn Berger said at a press conference Wednesday morning.
Fire crews filled the area with sandbags and county crews installed barriers and removed drains and catch basins.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass warns that winds can carry ash and urges people to visit the city’s website to learn how to protect themselves from toxic air during the latest Santa Ana wind event. He advised Angeleno residents. Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer warned that the ash could contain heavy metals, arsenic and other toxic substances.
“Even brief exposure can cause dermatitis, which can lead to more serious problems,” Ferrer said Wednesday, urging people to wear protective equipment while cleaning.
At least 28 people have died and more than 14,000 fires have been reported since they began on January 7, amid low humidity, dry vegetation and strong winds as firefighters continue to battle the Palisades and Eaton fires. Buildings were destroyed. The Palisades fire has reached 70% containment. %, Eaton Fire was 95%.
Luna said Wednesday that there have been 22 missing person reports in both fire zones, which his department is still investigating. He said all the missing people were adults.
The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is investigating the cause of the fire but has not released any findings.
People who lost their homes in the Eaton fire have filed several lawsuits alleging that Southern California Edison equipment caused the fires. On Tuesday, a judge in one of the cases ordered the utility company to produce data from circuits in the area where the fire occurred.
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Weber reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press journalists Ethan Swope in Castaic, Harry Golden in Seattle, Jamie Ding in Los Angeles and Julie Walker in New York contributed to this report.
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