The fire threat remains critical in Southern California, where thousands of residents were under evacuation orders Wednesday as fire crews battled the out-of-control Hughes Fire near Castaic, a suburb in the foothills and mountains of northern Los Angeles County.

As critical fire weather continues to strike in Southern California, crews are also tasked with preparing for a storm expected this weekend that could trigger mudslides in burn scar areas.

Exhausted firefighters battling deadly infernos for weeks are now grappling with more wildfires torching Southern California – including one that’s threatening 14,000 structures.

The Hughes Fire has now burned 8,096 acres in Los Angeles and Ventura counties since igniting late Wednesday morning near Castaic Lake, according to Cal Fire. As more than 400 firefighters responded to the scene, an air tanker and four helicopters attacked the blaze from the air, preventing it from jumping Interstate 5, officials said.

Gusty Santa Ana winds fanned the flames of a new, rapidly growing wildfire near Santa Clarita, California, on Wednesday, and smoke once again filled the sky over Southern California. The Hughes Fire was first reported at 10:53 a.

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)

With the Palisades and Eaton fires still not fully contained, a new Southern California blaze sparked up Wednesday north of Santa Clarita, burning more than 9,400 acres in a matter of hours, forcing evacuations by the thousands and shutting down sections of the 5 freeway.

The Sepulveda fire was the latest blaze in a nerve-racking week as Southern California headed into a fourth consecutive day of red flag fire weather warnings.

Over 1,100 firefighters were “strategically pre-positioned” across Southern California to address "ongoing critical fire weather," Cal Fire said.

With high winds driving the flames, a fast-moving wildfire exploded to more than 10,000 acres near the Los Angeles County community of Castaic Wednesday, prompting mandatory evacuation orders for tens of thousands of people.

Cooler, wet weather is forecast to bring moisture to the parched landscape and reduce the fire threat. But heavy rainfall could also trigger flash floods in burn scars.