Massive Wildfire Near Los Angeles Burns 9,400 Acres

As much as (31,000) people had to leave their homes as a new wildfire that started north of Los Angeles on Wednesday 22nd of January quickly widened to a total of more than {9,400 acres (38 square kilometers)} due to high winds and dry greenery.

Firefighters in the area, who have successfully brought two significant fires in the metropolitan area mostly under control, were further tested by the Hughes fire, which is located approximately {50 miles (80 km)} north of Los Angeles.

The new fire surged to “two-thirds” the size of the Eaton Fire, one of the two massive fires that have devastated the Los Angeles region, in a matter of “hours” on Wednesday.

Red Flag Warning

Although much of Southern California was still under a “red flag” warning for severe fire risk because of strong, dry winds, officials in the Castaic Lake region of Los Angeles County cautioned residents that they faced a quick danger to life.

Also Read: Uncontrolled Inferno: Los Angeles Turned Into Ashes

At a news conference, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna stated that over (31,000) people were under necessary orders to flee and another (23,000) were under emergency alerts. The San Gabriel Mountains’ {700,000-acre (2,800-square-kilometer)} park was declared closed to all visitors by the Angeles National Forest.

According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), (1,100) firefighters were sent out throughout Southern California as a result of the “red flag” alert in anticipation of rapidly spreading wildfire. According to Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone, there were over (4,000) firefighters battling the Hughes Fire.

The (9) month dryness in southern California has created dangerous circumstances, but some rain was predicted for (Saturday and Monday), which might provide firefighters some necessary relaxation.

Video from KTLA news showed fixed wing planes dropping fire fighting materials on the hills and helicopters scooping water from a lake to drop on the flames. Flames reached the edge of the lake.

Poor Visibility

Furthermore the California roadway Patrol explained that because of poor visibility caused by the smoke, Interstate (5), the main north-south roadway in the western United States, was briefly closed in the Grapevine mountain pass sections. However, according to Marrone, firemen managed to put out enough of the fire to allow the route to reopen.

Whereas the bigger Palisades Fire, which has burned {23,448 acres (95 square kilometers)} on the westside of Los Angeles, was (68%) controlled, the Eaton Fire, which burned {14,021 acres (57 square kilometers)} east of Los Angeles, was (91%) covered.

Since the two fires started on the seventh of January, they have burned an area almost the size of Washington, D.C., died (28) people, damaged or destroyed nearly (16,000) structures, and at one point, (180,000) people were ordered to evacuate, according to Los Angeles County officials.

Over ($250 billion) is estimated to have been damaged and lost economically by a number of smaller wildfires that have been put out or brought mostly under control in Southern California over the past (2) weeks, according to Cal Fire.