LOS ANGELES (KTLA) – Firefighters on the ground and in the air rushed to slow a rapidly spreading brush fire that exploded near Castaic on Wednesday, forcing tens of thousands of evacuations and impacting traffic on the 5 Freeway.
The Hughes Fire erupted around 10:50 a.m. in the area of Lake Hughes Road east of Castaic Lake, according to Cal Fire incident commanders.
It spread quickly through dry brush and trees, fanned by strong Santa Ana winds. The fire was initially reported at 50 acres but had exploded to over 9,400 acres by 5 p.m., according to CalFire, with no containment.
The cause of the fire was unknown.
Fighter fighters monitor flames caused by the Hughes Fire along Castaic Lake in Castaic, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Flames caused by the Hughes Fire is seen along Castaic Lake in Castaic, Calif., Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Sky5 view of the Hughes Fire near Castaic, California on Jan. 22, 2025. (KTLA)
An air tanker makes a retardant drop around the Hughes Fire in northern Los Angeles County on Jan. 22, 2025. (KTLA)
A firefighting helicopter attacks the Hughes Fire near Castaic, California. Jan. 22, 2025. (KTLA)
An air tanker makes a retardant drop around the Hughes Fire in northern Los Angeles County on Jan. 22, 2025. (KTLA)
Sky5 view of the Hughes Fire next to Castaic Lake. Jan. 22, 2025. (KTLA)
Sky5 view of the Hughes Fire next to Castaic Lake. Jan. 22, 2025. (KTLA)
Sky5 view of the Hughes Fire next to Castaic Lake. Jan. 22, 2025. (KTLA)
Sky5 view of the Hughes Fire next to Castaic Lake. Jan. 22, 2025. (KTLA)
Sky5 view of the Hughes Fire next to Castaic Lake. Jan. 22, 2025. (KTLA)
Sky5 view of the Hughes Fire next to Castaic Lake. Jan. 22, 2025. (KTLA)
Sky5 view of the Hughes Fire next to Castaic Lake. Jan. 22, 2025. (KTLA)
Officials told KTLA 5 News that roughly 31,000 people, including residents of Castaic, were being evacuated from communities south, north and west of the wildfire. At about 2 p.m., a portion of Ventura County near Lake Piru was added to the mandatory evacuation zones.
About 23,000 more were under evacuation warnings, including residents of Ventura County south of Lake Piru.
Included in the evacuation zone were several schools, including Northlake Elementary, Castaic Middle, Castaic Elementary and Castaic High. A temporary evacuation center was set up at Hart High School, 24825 Newhall Ave., Santa Clarita, CA 91321.
All students evacuated safely, officials said, and the Castaic Union School District canceled classes for Thursday.
At least one L.A. County detention facility has been evacuated, moving some 400 people being held at the location, L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna said at a Wednesday night press conference.
Luna assured evacuated residents that deputies were on patrol to prevent any looting or crime.
Road Closures:
- Ridge Route Rd at Lake Hughes
- Ridge Route Rd at Templin Hwy
- Lake Hughes at Pine Cyn
- Dry Gulch at San Francisquito Cyn Rd
- I-5 NB at Parker Rd Off Ramp and I-5 NB at Lake Hughes Rd off-ramp will be shut down.
As a result of the blaze, the 5 Freeway was closed between the 126 Freeway and Grapevine Road, the California Highway Patrol told KTLA. On- and off-ramps have also been closed. The freeway is expected to reopen Wednesday night so people can get in and out of the area, but Luna encouraged those who didn’t need to be there to stay away.
“If you can, just avoid the area,” CHP spokesperson Alec Pereyda added.
“State resources have been deployed to the Hughes Fire in the Angeles National Forest to assist in the federal response,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom posted on social media. “We will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide the federal government with whatever it needs to extinguish this fire.”
Smoke from the fire is creating extremely hazardous air quality conditions in the area including the San Gabriel Mountains, the I-5 corridor near Castaic Lake, Santa Clarita and communities south and west through Ventura County.
A Smoke Advisory due to poor air quality from the Hughes Fire was issued Wednesday night and will remain in effect through Thursday, Jan. 23 at 10 p.m. (South Coast Air Quality Management District)
L.A. County Fire Department Chief Anthony Marrone said fire personnel staffing will remain high as local, out-of-state and international crews work overnight to contain the blaze.
Will Conybeare and Marc Sternfield contributed to this report.
