Barely days after the most populous city of California in the United States suffered a massive wildfire, a new fire in Los Angeles county has forced tens of thousands to be evacuated.
About 45 miles north-west of the city, the Hughes fire was ignited near Castaic Lake in an area that encompasses residential areas and schools.
In positive news, no home or business has been damaged by the fire, which was fuelled by winds and dry brush, yet.
However, the region has been placed under red flag warning with fire officials remaining cautious over the blaze which might spread due to strong winds and low humidity.
The new fire, which broke out on Wednesday morning, has engulfed 9,400 acres of land.
Though the blaze continued to increase, LA county fire chief Anthony Marrone is hopeful that the crew will make progress.
“The situation remains dynamic, and the fire remains a difficult fire to contain, although we are getting the upper hand,” Marrone said as quoted by BBC News.
About 31,000 people in the region are placed under mandatory evacuation while another 23,000 have been warned that they too may have to flee as strong winds may cause the fire to spread rapidly.
LA County sheriff says, “To the people of the communities affected by the wildfires, my heart aches for those who have lost your homes, memories and everything that you have built over your life. I send my sincere sympathy to all who are impacted by this heartbreaking situation. You have endured so much through these difficult times.
“As your Sheriff, I consider myself as a member of your family and I’m holding you close in my thoughts and prayers. Rest assured, as you deal with this during these difficult times, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department will be there to keep you safe as best we can . You are not alone!”
California governor Gavin Newsom said on X, “State resources have been deployed to the Hughes Fire in the Angeles National Forest to assist in the federal response. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide the federal government with whatever it needs to extinguish this fire.”
