Inferno Near Los Angeles: Wildfire Outbreak Forces Mass Evacuations

A fast-growing wildfire erupted north of Los Angeles, burning over 5,000 acres and prompting mass evacuations. Despite significant challenges, firefighting efforts are bringing two major fires under control. Southern California remains under extreme fire risk due to dry winds, causing major disruptions and serious economic impact.

A rapidly expanding wildfire ignited approximately 50 miles north of Los Angeles on Wednesday, engulfing 5,054 acres while officials managed two major fires in the city, now reportedly coming under control. The Hughes Fire in Castaic Lake led to life-threatening evacuation alerts amid a red-flag warning across Southern California.

Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued for 19,000 residents, equivalent to Castaic's entire community, with an additional 16,000 under evacuation warnings. Firefighting forces from Los Angeles County, California, and the U.S. Forest Service were actively deployed to combat the disaster, closing the Angeles National Forest to visitors.

In anticipation of rapid fire spread, Cal Fire positioned 1,000 firefighters throughout Southern California. Aerial firefighting units utilized nearby lakes to douse flames. Poor visibility from the blazes shut down portions of Interstate 5, a critical north-south route. Meanwhile, the previously out-of-control Eaton and Palisades fires are nearing containment, despite earlier devastation.

(With inputs from agencies.)