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LOS ANGELES — A brush fire erupted amid powerful winds Wednesday afternoon in the Castaic area in the northern region of Los Angeles County, spreading quickly to more than 5,000 acres, officials said.
Fire crews from Los Angeles County and the Angeles National Forest were responding to the so-called Hughes Fire after it broke out about 11 a.m. in the area of Lake Hughes Road.
Mandatory evacuation orders and warnings have been issued due to the fast-moving fires.
As of 12:45 p.m., an estimated 19,000 people live in the mandatory evacuation zones, according to a data analysis. Another 16,000 residents were under evacuations warnings.
CAL FIRE’s map shows the evacuation zones. Select Hughes Fire to zoom into the fire area.
Several schools were forced to evacuate and close due to the fire, including Northlake Hills Elementary School, Castaic Elementary School, and Castaic Middle School.
The College of the Canyons also closed for the day out of an abundance of caution.
No injuries have been reported and no structures are immediately threatened in the mostly rural and mountainous burn zone.
Crews on the scene reported the fire was spotting across Lake Hughes Road and prompting evacuations in the Castaic Lake area and warnings in remote canyon areas near Castaic, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
The moment the fire erupted was captured on camera from a U.C. San Diego camera.
Footage from a U.C. San Diego camera captured the moment the rapidly growing Hughes Fire erupted near Castaic Lake.
Massive columns of smoke were rising above the burn area and were visible for miles.
Multiple helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, including Super Scoopers, were seen performing water drops and dumping pink Phos-Chek on the flames.
The 5 Freeway was shrouded in smoke but remained open to traffic as of noon, but the likelihood that lanes would be shut down was increasing as the fire moved closer to the interstate.
The cause of the fire was unknown.
A brush fire erupted amid powerful winds Wednesday afternoon in the Castaic area, spreading quickly to more than 500 acres near the 5 Freeway, officials said.
Red flag warnings for critical fire risk were extended through 8 p.m. Thursday in L.A. and Ventura counties.
The low humidity, bone-dry vegetation and strong winds came as firefighters continued to battle the Palisades and Eaton fires, which have killed at least 28 people and destroyed more than 14,000 structures since they broke out Jan. 7. Containment of the Palisades Fire reached 68%, and the Eaton Fire was at 91%.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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