CASTAIC, California – A new wildfire that erupted north of Los Angeles has engulfed more than 9,400 acres of area amid strong winds, forcing authorities to evacuate more than 31,000 people from the region to safe places
Firefighters said the Hughes Fire in the Castaic Lake area prompted evacuation orders to residents amid the “immediate threat to life” due to the massive blaze with strong and dry winds magnifying the fears of an increase in its intensity.
Some 31,000 people were under mandatory evacuation orders and another 23,000 face evacuation warnings,
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said orders have been issued for mandatory evacuation of some 31,000 people, adding that another 23,000 are facing evacuation warnings.
The Angeles National Forest said it has closed its entire park in the San Gabriel Mountains for visitors to ensure their safey
Reports said some 1,100 firefighters have been deployed around Southern California to tackle the fast-moving fires.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said over 4,000 firefighters were working on the Hughes Fire.
Since the two fires broke out on Jan 7, they have exploded an area nearly the size of Washington, D.C., killed 28 people and destroyed thousands of structures.
