A new wildfire broke out in northern Los Angeles County on Wednesday, rapidly consuming over 9,000 acres just hours after being reported.
The Hughes Fire, spreading quickly north of the small community of Castaic, located northwest of Los Angeles, has prompted sweeping evacuation orders, forcing tens of thousands to flee. Other nearby communities have been warned that they may also need to evacuate.
The fire was initially reported at 50 acres at 10:53 am local time (1853 GMT), but within hours, it surged to more than 9,200 acres by 8:27 pm Wednesday (0427 GMT Thursday), according to CalFire data.
The blaze is currently 0% contained, with firefighters working to control the fire as it spreads into Ventura County.
This fire is the latest in a series of blazes that have plagued the greater Los Angeles area since January 7. The Palisades Fire devastated the upscale coastal community of Pacific Palisades, while the Eaton Fire ravaged large areas of the foothill city of Altadena.
The Palisades Fire claimed 11 lives, while 17 people died in the Eaton Fire. These fires have caused widespread destruction, forcing thousands of residents to seek new homes. Both fires are now 68% and 91% contained, respectively, after over two weeks of extensive firefighting efforts.
