A new fire, called Hughes, is causing the evacuation of thousands of people and putting many others on alert in the northern part of Los Angeles County, United States. The fire broke out in northern Castaic and spread rapidly due to strong winds hitting the area, reaching an area of at least 2,000 hectares in less than two hours.
According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), the area affected by the fire already exceeds 4,000 hectares with only 14 percent containment of the flames. Authorities have issued evacuation orders around Castaic Lake, affecting more than 19,000 residents.
This fire adds to a series of devastating blazes that have hit California in recent weeks, with over two hundred fires and at least 28 fatalities. In total, more than 16,000 hectares of land have burned, and over 150,000 people have been evacuated.
Additionally, firefighters are battling another active fire that has forced the closure of part of the 405 freeway in the Sepulveda Pass area and are working to extinguish fires like the one in the Palisades, which has consumed over 23,400 acres, and the Eaton fire, with more than 14,000 acres.
The main cause of the rapid spread of these fires is the Santa Ana winds, which reach speeds exceeding 150 kilometers per hour and contribute to the uncontrollable expansion of the fire. Authorities have had to issue evacuation orders due to the danger posed by the flames, which consume approximately 14 hectares of land per minute.
The National Weather Service has issued a red alert in the area due to strong wind conditions and a dry environment that will persist until the end of the week, maintaining critical levels in southern California.
