A new wildfire, known as the Hughes Fire, has broken out in California, forcing the evacuation of over 31,000 people. The fire is burning north of Los Angeles, in the Castaic area, and has already spread to over 9,400 acres. Strong winds and dry brush have fueled the flames, making it a challenging situation for firefighters.
The fire has forced the closure of the I-5 freeway, as well as the Angeles National Forest, and has prompted a red-flag warning for extreme fire risk in Southern California. Over 1,100 firefighters are deployed to combat the blaze, with more than 4,000 firefighters working on the Hughes Fire alone.
The fire is one of several to break out in the region in recent weeks. The Eaton Fire and the Palisades Fire, which are already burning, have consumed an area nearly the size of Washington, D.C. and have damaged or destroyed nearly 16,000 structures.
Firefighters have managed to bring two other fires in the region under control, with the Eaton Fire being 91% contained and the Palisades Fire being 68% contained. However, the situation remains dire, with many residents under mandatory evacuation orders and others under evacuation warnings.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) is warning people in the area to be prepared, as the fire is expected to continue to spread. The agency has also closed the entire 700,000-acre Angeles National Forest to visitors.
Meanwhile, private forecaster AccuWeather is projecting damage and economic losses from the fires at over $250 billion.