A new and fast-moving wildfire has erupted in Los Angeles County, prompting tens of thousands of people to evacuate a region already reeling from the most destructive fires in its history.
The Hughes fire ignited 45 miles (72km) north-west of the city of Los Angeles on Wednesday morning, near Castaic Lake in a mountainous area that borders several residential areas and schools.
It grew to more than 10,000 acres in several hours on Wednesday, fuelled by winds and dry brush. No homes or businesses have been damaged, and officials expressed confidence about getting it under control.
The new fire is north of the two mammoth blazes that have destroyed a number of neighbourhoods this month.
Local news showed residents near the Hughes fire hosing down their homes and gardens with water and others rushing to evacuate.
Orange flames lined the mountains as aircraft dropped water and flame retardant.
The region is once again under a red flag warning, continuing through Thursday. This cautions of a high fire risk due to strong winds and dry, low-humid conditions.
Winds in the area were blowing at about 20-30mph (32-48km/h), but could pick up, which would fan the blaze and make it harder for air crews to operate.
Climate change has made the grasses and shrubs that are fuelling the Los Angeles fires more vulnerable to burning, scientists have said.
Rapid whiplash-style swings between dry and wet conditions in the region in recent years have created a massive amount of tinder-dry vegetation that is ready to catch fire.
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“About 31, 000 people in the area are under a mandatory evacuation order and another 23, 000 have been warned they may have to flee,” Los Angeles county sheriff Robert Luna said, adding that nearly 500 inmates at a local jail were being evacuated.
The fire continued to grow as the sun set on Wednesday, but Los Angeles County fire Chief, Anthony Marrone said he believed crews were making progress.
“The situation remains dynamic and the fire remains a difficult fire to contain, although we are getting the upper hand,” he said.
The fire was declared 14 percent contained early on Thursday, according to the website of Cal Fire, California’s statewide fire agency.
A fire being 100 percent contained does not mean it has been extinguished, but rather that the flames have been fully encircled and the spread has been effectively stopped.
Officials said the blaze was different from the Palisades and Eaton fires, which killed at least 28 people and decimated more than 10, 000 homes and businesses earlier this month.
