The blaze was reported just after 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22 in the area of Lake Hughes Road near the 5 Freeway, according to Cal Fire.

The Hughes Fire near Castaic, California, has burned over 5,000 acres, prompting evacuations and school closures.

A large brush fire that erupted near Interstate 5 in Castaic has burned more than 9,000 acres, causing several evacuation orders and warnings Wednesday morning.

The Hughes Fire in Castaic area has burned more than 9,400 acres in just hours. While Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone called it a "difficult fire," he said that crews are "getting the upper hand on containing the blaze."

The Hughes fire seen from Magic Mountain has started north of Castaic and has exploded to more than 5,000 acres in under two hours on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, in Castaic, California. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times/TNS) (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

The Hughes Fire grew rapidly near Castaic Lake, about 45 miles northwest of the city of Los Angeles, after it broke out at around 10.53am PST on Wednesday. No homes or businesses have been damaged, but about 31,000 residents have been forced to flee, officials said, with thousands more under evacuation warnings.

A brush fire ignited near Castaic Lake amid windy and dry conditions Wednesday afternoon, forcing evacuations in the area as the blaze quickly grows.

The blaze was reported just after 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22 in the area of Lake Hughes Road near the 5 Freeway, according to Cal Fire.

The Hughes Fire was first reported shortly after 10:30 a.m. along Lake Hughes Road, near Castaic Lake and the 5 Freeway, according to Cal Fire.

Amid an extended red flag warning, a new fire exploded north of Castaic. Evacuations were ordered after 11 a.m. Wind gusts reached 31 mph Wednesday afternoon in the area and are expected to increase over the next several hours.

A fast-moving brush fire raced across thousands of acres of thick vegetation near Castaic Lake today, forcing mandatory evacuations in the lake area and into the heart of Castaic, with warnings stretching toward Santa Clarita and reaching the Ventura County line.