Winds in the area were gusting at 42 mph (67 kph) in the afternoon but were expected to increase to 60 mph (96 kph) by later in the evening and Thursday, the National Weather Service said.
More than 50,000 residents in Southern California have been placed under evacuation orders or warnings as a massive and fast-moving wildfire broke out in the rugged mountains north of Los Angeles. The Hughes Fire, which erupted on Wednesday morning, rapidly spread through parched vegetation, sending dark plumes of smoke over the region as strong winds fueled its expansion.
The fire ignited near Lake Castaic, a popular recreational area approximately 40 miles (64 kilometers) from the areas already devastated by the Eaton and Palisades fires. Within hours, the Hughes Fire had scorched over 15 square miles (39 square kilometers) of forest and brush, prompting the evacuation of more than 31,000 people. An additional 23,000 residents remain under evacuation warnings, according to LA County Sheriff Robert Luna.