Massive Wildfire Erupts Near Los Angeles Forcing Mass Evacuation
The Hughes fire ignited Wednesday morning near Castaic Lake, 45 miles northwest of Los Angeles, rapidly growing to over 10,000 acres. Strong winds and dry brush fueled the blaze, prompting mandatory evacuations for approximately 31,000 residents and warnings for an additional 23,000 people. Los Angeles County fire chief Anthony Marrone reported the fire was 14% contained, noting improved conditions compared to previous devastating fires. Unlike the recent Palisades and Eaton fires, which destroyed over 10,000 properties and killed 28 people, current lower wind speeds are helping firefighting efforts. The area remains under a red flag warning, indicating high fire risk due to strong winds and dry conditions. Climate scientists attribute the increased fire vulnerability to "whiplash" climate patterns creating extensive dry vegetation. Two additional smaller fires near San Diego have been mostly contained. The Lilac fire burned 85 acres, while […]
