20,000 Ordered to Evacuate – Update on Jan. 22, 2025 at 4:40 p.m.

Nearly 20,000 people were ordered to evacuate on Wednesday as a huge and fast-moving wildfire swept through rugged mountains north of Los Angeles, as parched Southern California endured another round of dangerous winds and two major previous blazes continued to smolder.

Hughes Fire Grows to Near 8,100 Acres – Update on Jan. 22, 2025 at 4:22 p.m.

CalFire has reported that the Hughes Fire is at 8,096 acres as of Wednesday afternoon.

Grapevine Closed – Update on Jan. 22, 2025 at 3:45 p.m.

The I-5 through the Grapevine is closed due to the Hughes Fire, with an unknown duration for the closure, the CHP reported.

Northbound traffic is detoured at SR-126, and southbound traffic is being rerouted at Grapevine Road. Drivers are advised to use Quickmap or Google Maps for alternate routes. Expect heavy traffic and travel with caution.

Original Story

LOS ANGELES — Evacuations were ordered on Wednesday for remote communities near a new wind-driven wildfire in mountains north of Los Angeles, as Southern California endured more dangerous winds ahead of possible rain over the weekend.

The Hughes Fire broke out late Wednesday morning and quickly burned through hundreds of acres of trees and brush, sending up a huge plume of dark smoke near the Lake Castaic area of northern Los Angeles County.

Los Angeles officials were preparing for potential precipitation even as some residents were allowed to return to the charred Pacific Palisades and Altadena areas and firefighters extinguished small blazes that broke out during gusty weather expected to last through Thursday.

“We’re going to see another round of critical fire conditions across Southern California,” Todd Hall, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said Wednesday morning. “At this point, it sounds like a broken record.”

Los Angeles Mayor Bass Issues Executive Orders

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order to expedite cleanup efforts in burn areas and mitigate the environmental impacts of fire-related pollutants. She ordered crews to remove vegetation, shore up hillsides and reinforce roads ahead of the possible rain.

Los Angeles County supervisors also approved an emergency motion to install flood control infrastructure and expedite and remove sediment in fire-impacted areas.

“As the fires have settled, new challenges lie ahead,” Supervisor Kathryn Barger said during a Wednesday news conference. “Rains are in the forecast and the threat of mud and debris flow in our fire-impacted communities is real.”

A 60% to 80% chance of a small amount of rain was forecast for Southern California starting Saturday, with most areas likely getting not more than a third of an inch (0.8 centimeters), according to Ryan Kittell, a meteorologist for the weather service’s office for Los Angeles. However, up to an inch (2 1/2 centimeters) could fall in localized thunderstorms, which would be a worst-case scenario if enough falls on scorched slopes.

“But even if the rain doesn’t materialize this time, it could be a good practice run for those communities because this will be a threat that they’ll have to deal with for months or years,” Kittell said Tuesday.

Fire crews were filling sandbags for communities while county workers were installing barriers and clearing drainage pipes and basins.

In 2018, Montecito, a town 80 miles (130 kilometers) up the coast from Los Angeles, was ravaged by mudslides after a downpour hit mountain slopes burned bare by a huge wildfire. Twenty-three people died, and hundreds of homes were damaged.

Red Flag Warning in Effect

Red flag warnings for critical fire risk were extended through 8 p.m. Thursday in LA and Ventura counties. Officials remained concerned that the two major blazes, the Palisades and Eaton fires, could break their containment lines as firefighters continue to watch for hot spots, said David Acuna, a spokesman with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.

Fire engines and water-dropping aircraft positioned strategically allowed crews to swiftly douse several small blazes that popped up in LA, San Diego and Riverside counties, officials said.

Authorities urged residents to review evacuation plans, prepare emergency kits, and be on the lookout for fires and report them quickly.

Bass also warned that winds could carry ash and advised Angelenos to visit the city’s website to learn how to protect themselves from toxic air during the latest Santa Ana wind event. LA County public health director Barbara Ferrer cautioned that the ash could contain heavy metals, arsenic and other harmful materials.

“Even a brief exposure can potentially cause skin irritation and lead to more serious problems,” Ferrer said Wednesday, asking people to wear protective gear while cleaning up.

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%.

LA County Sheriff Robert Luna said Wednesday that his department was still investigating 22 active missing person reports in both fire zones. All of those reported missing are adults, he said.

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is investigating the causes of the fires but has not released any findings.

Several lawsuits have been filed by people who lost their homes in the Eaton Fire, alleging Southern California Edison’s equipment sparked the blaze. On Tuesday a judge overseeing one of the lawsuits ordered the utility to produce data from circuits in the area where the fire started.

President Donald Trump, who criticized the response to the wildfires during his inaugural address Monday, has said he will travel to Los Angeles on Friday. Barger said Wednesday that details of Trump’s visit were still being worked out.