January 23, 2025
The first responders are doing great work to contain this fire. Certainly, we are not out of the woods yet.
Cal Fire Chief Joe Tyler, referring to the fast-moving wildfire that caught ablaze on Wednesday in northwest Los Angeles County.
Why It Matters: The Hughes Fire, burning near Castaic Lake, comes as firefighters continue to battle other L.A.-area blazes. The wildfire has moved into Ventura County as well, causing more than 50,00 people to receive evacuation orders since Wednesday morning. According to the state fire agency, Cal Fire, the Hughes fire is 14% contained as of Thursday morning and has burned more than 10,000 acres.
- Firefighters have yet to report any burned structures.
- Weather conditions, such as wind and dryness, did help spark the blaze. However, conditions are not currently as severe in comparison to earlier this month when the Eaton Fire (now 95% contained) and the Palisades Fire (now 70% contained) began.
Read More: Hughes Fire Burns 10,000 Acres as Dangerous Conditions Persist in Southern California (The New York Times)
Image Credit: Angeles National Forest
by Emily Hooker, based in Texas
