Hughes Fire

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Anna Commander

By Anna Commander

News Editor

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The Hughes fire ignited on Wednesday morning in Castaic, California, sparking mandatory evacuations nearby.

Why It Matters

Hughes is the newest fire to ignite as Southern California has been inundated with deadly blazes this month.

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The Palisades and Eaton fires, the largest in Los Angeles County, also sparked numerous mandatory evacuations and destroyed thousands of structures.

What To Know

According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), the Hughes Fire has grown to 9,400 acres. Evacuation orders are in place for these zones:

Evacuation warnings are in place for these locations:

According to The Associated Press, over 50,000 people are under evacuation orders or warnings as of 8:18 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

Hughes Fire

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The fire is currently zero percent contained, and Cal Fire says the cause is under investigation. The fire has also prompted road closures in these locations according to the California Highway Patrol Newhall:

An evacuation center has opened at Valencia High School located at 27801 Dickson Dr, Valencia, CA 91355, Cal Fire says. Students at Castaic Middle School and Castaic Elementary school have been evacuated to the Ralph's parking lot located at Hasley Canyon, Cal Fire says, advising parents to respond there.

Cal Fire also says that students at North Lake Elementary have been evacuated to Castaic Sports Complex.

The National Weather Service Los Angeles (NWS) said that a red flag warning remains in effect for certain portions of the county amid strong Santa Ana winds.

Dry conditions coupled with the winds creates a "significant fire weather conditions," the NWS Los Angeles said.

Newsweek reached out to the NWS via email on Wednesday for comment.

What People Are Saying

NWS Meteorologist Ariel Cohen told Newsweek via phone on Wednesday: "There are critical fire conditions ongoing. Winds out of the northeast are 25-40 miles per hour. Winds tonight could gust up to 50-60 miles per hour."

Cohen added that the Hughes Fire is a "critical situation with the potential conditions of the fire to grow explosively and rapidly."

The NWS Los Angeles said on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday: "Significant fire weather conditions are ongoing into Thursday with an increase in winds expected (especially Thurs AM) and severely dry conditions. For wildfire preparedness guidance visit https://readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire/."

The California National Guard said on X on Wednesday: "HAPPENING NOW: Every MAFFS (Modular Aerial Firefighting System) aircraft in the U.S.—all 8, including 2 from your Cal Guard—has been launched to fight the fast-growing #HughesFire . The Cal Guard's MAFFS are based at the 146th Airlift Wing, Channel Islands Air National Guard Station in Port Hueneme, while the other 6 aircraft were pre-positioned there in response to the Palisades and Eaton Fires. Together, they're delivering massive drops of fire retardant to protect lives, property, and communities."

Angeles National Forest said on X on Wednesday: "#HughesFire Firefighters from Angeles National Forest is responding to a brush fire located off Lake Hughes Rd North of Castaic Reservoir Rd, Castaic."

California fire

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What Happens Next

According to the NWS Los Angeles, the red flag warning runs until Thursday night.

Update 1/22/25 3:52 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and comment from Meteorologist Ariel Cohen.

Correction 1/22/25 6:22 p.m. ET: This article was updated with the correct spelling of Castaic, California.

Update 1/22/25 8:21 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.

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