Hughes Fire causes evacuation of 31,000 people in Southern California

Firefighters in Southern California are tackling the Hughes Fire, which continues to expand, which has forced the evacuation of thousands of people in the region and caused the evacuation of at least 31,000 residents.

After starting on Wednesday, this fire has consumed more than 10,000 acres in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), this fire is barely 14% contained, CNN reported.

Located north of Santa Clarita, in the community of Castaic, the fire has led to the evacuation of around 31,000 residents, while another 23,000 have been advised of the possibility of evacuation, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna.

David Acuña, Cal Fire battalion chief, reported that, so far, no material damage or injuries have been reported. “As we progress through the day, we will be able to better evaluate the situation,” Acuña said.

Red flag warning will be until Friday

Meantime, The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning that will extend through Friday morning for much of Los Angeles and Ventura counties.. The combination of Santa Ana winds and extremely dry vegetation creates a high risk that new fires could emerge in the region.

David Ortiz, spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department, noted: “The Santa Ana winds are blowing against this fire, so we had that in our favor.” However, firefighters are still working hard to make sure there are no hot spots left that could be revived by the wind.

“We continue to expect some dry moisture and then possible wind gusts up to 60 mph.”Ortiz warned. “It’s very dry. Any spark can cause a new fire to start and spread quickly.”

The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning that will extend through Friday morning for much of Los Angeles and Ventura counties. The combination of Santa Ana winds and extremely dry vegetation creates a high risk that new fires could emerge in the region.

Keep reading:
– Wildfires prompt evacuations in San Diego, California
– Fires in California: Why has the hiring of private firefighters caused controversy?
– Firefighter saves baby trapped in basement of burning house in heroic act on Staten Island