CASTOCK, Calif. (AP) – Firefighters battled to contain a large and fast-moving wildfire that ripped through the rugged mountains north of Los Angeles and killed more than 50,000 people. Placed under evacuation orders or warnings.
The Hughes fire broke out late Wednesday morning and in less than a day burned about 16 square miles (41 square kilometers) of trees and brush near Castaic Lake, about 40 miles (64 km) away is a popular recreational area. Eaton and the Palisades fire which has been burning since the third week.
Although the region was under a red flag warning for severe fire danger, the winds were not as strong as when the fire broke out, prompting firefighting planes to drop tens of thousands of gallons of fire retardant on the latest blaze. Got a chance. As of Wednesday night, the Hughes Fire was about 14% contained.
“The situation we’re in today is a lot different than 16 days ago,” Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marvin said Wednesday evening.
A red flag warning was extended until 10 a.m. Friday in LA and Ventura counties. Officials were worried about this. Palisades and Eaton Fires Can break them prevention Lines as firefighters continue to search for hot spots.
More than 31,000 people have been ordered to evacuate from the Hughes Fire, and another 23,000 people have been issued evacuation warnings, LA County Sheriff Robert Luna said. There were no reports of burning of houses or other structures.
Portions of Interstate 5 near the Hughes Fire were reopened Wednesday evening.
A 30-mile (48 km) stretch of the major north-south artery was closed to emergency vehicles, moving goods and preventing accidents due to smoke drifting across it. Crews on the ground and water-dropping aircraft attempted to contain the air-borne fire from moving toward the interstate and Castac.
Because the winds weren’t as strong as they were two weeks ago, aircrews were able to put out the fire on the south side of the fire, where the flames were moving, Marvin said. More than 4,000 firefighters were deployed to douse the blaze, he said.
The area had sustained winds of 42 mph (67 km/h) in the afternoon. By Wednesday night, they had reached 65 mph (105 KPH) in some mountainous areas, according to National Weather Service meteorologist David Roth.
Kayla Amara went to the Stonegate neighborhood of Castac to pick up items from the home of a friend who had arrived to pick up her daughter at preschool. As Amara is packing the car, she realizes that the fire has broken out and decides to gut the property.
“Other people are also hiding their homes. I hope there will be a home to return to,” Amara said as police cars raced through the streets and flames engulfed trees on a hill in the distance. took
Amara, a nurse who lives in nearby Valencia, said she has been on edge for weeks as the wildfires ravaged Southern California.
“It’s been stressful with these other fires, but now that this fire is closer to home, it’s extremely stressful,” he said.
To the south, Los Angeles officials began Prepare for possible rain. Some residents were even allowed to return to their burnt-out homes. Pacific Palisades and Altadena areas. According to the National Weather Service, the sweltering weather was expected to continue through Thursday and rain was expected starting Saturday.
“Rains are in the forecast and the risk of mud and debris flows in our fire-affected communities is real,” Supervisor Kathryn Barger said during a news conference Wednesday morning.
Fire crews were filling sandbags for communities while county workers were installing barricades and clearing drainage pipes and basins.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass warned that winds could carry the ash and advised Angelenos to visit. City website How to learn Protect yourself from toxic air. During the latest Santa Ana wind event. L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer warned that ash can contain heavy metals, arsenic and other harmful substances.
“Even a brief exposure can potentially cause skin irritation and lead to more serious problems,” Ferrer said Wednesday, urging people to wear protective clothing while cleaning.
Low humidity, bone-dry vegetation and strong winds came as firefighters battled the Palisades and Eaton fires. At least 28 people were killed. and has destroyed more than 14,000 structures since it erupted on January 7. The Palisades Fire reached 70% containment, and the Eaton Fire was 95%.
Luna said Wednesday that his department is still investigating reports of 22 active missing persons in both fire zones. He said that all the missing persons are adults.
The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is investigating the cause of the fire but has not released any findings.
Several cases have been registered. By the people who lost their homes in the Eaton fire, Southern California’s Edison appliances ignited the fire. On Tuesday, a judge overseeing the case ordered the utility to produce data from circuits in the area where the fire started.
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Weber reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press reporters Ethan Supkastek, Haley Golden in Seattle, Jamie Ding in Los Angeles and Julie Walker in New York contributed to this report.
