Evacuations have been ordered for remote communities near a new wind-driven wildfire in mountains north of Los Angeles.
The Hughes Fire broke out just before 11 a.m. on Wednesday and quickly burned through hundreds of acres of trees and brush, sending up a huge plume of dark smoke near the Lake Castaic area.
The fire comes as parched Southern California could get some badly needed rain this weekend. But even a small amount of precipitation could create new challenges like toxic ash runoff.
The start and rapid growth of the #HughesFire in Los Angeles County seen from ALERTCalifornia's Whitaker Ridge camera. Check conditions live on multiple cameras at https://t.co/Azu4PbZNY7 and look to @Angeles_NF and @LACOFD for updates. pic.twitter.com/JyKOpyY2jx
— ALERTCalifornia (@ALERTCalifornia) January 22, 2025
Red flag warnings for critical fire danger are in effect through Thursday.
Los Angeles officials were preparing for potential precipitation even as some residents were allowed to return to the charred Pacific Palisades and Altadena areas and firefighters extinguished small blazes that broke out during gusty weather expected to last through Thursday.
“We're going to see another round of critical fire conditions across Southern California,” Todd Hall, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said Wednesday morning. “At this point, it sounds like a broken record.”
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order to expedite cleanup efforts in burn areas and mitigate the environmental impacts of fire-related pollutants. She ordered crews to remove vegetation, shore up hillsides and reinforce roads ahead of the possible rain.
The low humidity, bone-dry vegetation and strong winds came as firefighters continued to battle the Palisades and Eaton fires, which have killed at least 28 people and destroyed more than 14,000 structures since they broke out Jan. 7. Containment of the Palisades Fire reached 68%, and the Eaton Fire was at 91%.
LA County Sheriff Robert Luna said Wednesday that his department was still investigating 22 active missing person reports in both fire zones. All of those reported missing are adults, he said.
The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is investigating the causes of the fires but has not released any findings.
Several lawsuits have been filed by people who lost their homes in the Eaton Fire, alleging Southern California Edison's equipment sparked the blaze. On Tuesday a judge overseeing one of the lawsuits ordered the utility to produce data from circuits in the area where the fire started.
President Donald Trump, who criticized the response to the wildfires during his inaugural address Monday, has said he will travel to Los Angeles on Friday. Barger said Wednesday that details of Trump's visit were still being worked out.
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