LOS ANGELES — Evacuation orders were lifted on Thursday for tens of thousands of residents as firefighters, supported by aerial efforts, succeeded in slowing the progression of a massive wildfire in the mountainous terrain north of Los Angeles. However, new fires broke out in San Diego County, leading to temporary evacuation measures in certain areas.
Southern California remains under a red flag warning signaling significant fire risks through Friday. The region continues to combat various fire threats, exacerbated by the resurgence of strong, dangerous winds on Thursday.
The Hughes Fire ignited late Wednesday morning and rapidly consumed nearly 16 square miles (41 square kilometers) of vegetation near Castaic Lake, which is a favored recreational spot roughly 40 miles (64 kilometers) from the ongoing Eaton and Palisades fires that have been active for three weeks.
By late Thursday afternoon, firefighting crews had made notable strides on the Hughes Fire, managing to contain over a third of the blaze.
In the San Diego area, two other fires were reported on Thursday. Initial evacuation orders were subsequently lifted after a brush fire broke out in the affluent La Jolla neighborhood, close to the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine. Additionally, further south near the U.S-Mexico border, another fire spread through the scenic Otay Mountain Wilderness, home to the endangered Quino checkerspot butterfly as well as other distinct species.
A new fire incident in Ventura County momentarily triggered an evacuation at California State University Channel Islands in Camarillo. However, firefighting aircraft quickly addressed the Laguna Fire that threatened the hillside above the campus, which accommodates about 7,000 students, allowing officials to later downgrade the evacuation order to a warning.
Forecasts predict rain for the upcoming weekend, potentially alleviating Southern California’s extended dry conditions. Winds are also expected to be less intense than those felt when the Palisades and Eaton fires ignited, enabling firefighting planes to release thousands of gallons of fire retardant.
This assistance proved beneficial in combating the Hughes Fire in Castaic, where helicopter operations have been pivotal in keeping the flames at bay, according to fire spokesperson Jeremy Ruiz.
“Helicopters were dropping water until around 3 a.m. That helped keep it contained,” he noted.
As of Thursday, nearly 54,000 residents in the Castaic vicinity were still under evacuation warnings, as confirmed by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, with no reports of homes or other buildings suffering damage.
Kayla Amara, a nurse residing near Valencia, went to Castaic’s Stonegate neighborhood to retrieve belongings from a friend’s home when the fire rapidly increased in size. Opting to water down the property, she expressed her heightened anxiety in the wake of recent destructive wildfires.
“It’s been stressful with those other fires, but now that this one is close to home it’s just super stressful,” Amara shared.
The Palisades Fire was reported to be over 75% contained, while the Eaton Fire was 95% under control as of Thursday. Since their onset on January 7, the two fires have claimed at least 28 lives and destroyed more than 14,000 structures.
Rain is anticipated to begin Saturday, according to projections from the National Weather Service. While officials are optimistic about the wet weather, crews are also reinforcing hillsides and putting up barriers to minimize the likelihood of debris flows as residents prepare to return to the devastated areas of Pacific Palisades and Altadena.
California’s wildfires have inflicted at least $28 billion in insured damages, with additional losses likely occurring that remain uninsured, estimates a disaster modeling firm renowned for its accurate assessments following such catastrophes.
In response to this evaluation, California Republican leaders are expressing opposition to the proposals by President Trump and House Speaker Johnson suggesting that federal disaster assistance for wildfire victims should come with contingent stipulations.
On Thursday, the state Legislature approved a fire relief package exceeding $2.5 billion, aimed particularly at aiding recovery efforts in the Los Angeles area.
Trump is scheduled to visit California on Friday to assess the damage closely, although it remains uncertain if he will hold discussions with Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom during his visit.
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Editor’s Note: The report has been amended to correctly refer to Castaic Lake instead of Lake Castaic.
