The Hughes Fire broke out late morning and in six hours charred about 39 square kilometers of trees and brush near Castaic Lake, a popular recreation area about 40 miles from the devastating Eaton and Palisades burning for three weeks.
Although the region was under red alert, the winds were not as strong as they had been when these fires broke out, allowing firefighting planes to drop tens of thousands of gallons of fire retardant.
“The situation we find ourselves in today is very different from the situation we were in 16 days ago,” Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said Wednesday evening.
No homes or other structures were burned.
“This fire was vigorously responded to today (Wednesday), and as you can see behind us, responders are doing an excellent job trying to contain this fire,” said Joe Tyler, fire director. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). “We’re definitely not out of the woods yet.”
More than 31,000 people have been ordered to evacuate and 23,000 others are under evacuation alert, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said.
Parts of Interstate 5 that had been closed began reopening Wednesday evening.
A 48 kilometer stretch of the main north-south artery was closed to emergency vehicles, to move equipment and to prevent accidents due to smoke billowing from the highway. Crews on the ground and in water-drop planes tried to keep the wind-driven fire from spreading across the highway and toward Castaic.
Mr. Marrone said that because the winds were not as strong as two weeks ago, plane crews were able to drop fire retardants on the south side of the fire, where the flames were moving.
Winds in the area were gusting to 40 mph in the afternoon, but were expected to increase to 60 mph later in the evening and Thursday, the National Weather Service said on the X social network.
Preparing for rain
Meanwhile, to the south, authorities in Los Angeles prepared for potential rain, even as some residents were allowed to return to the charred areas of Pacific Palisades and Altadena. Gusts are expected to persist through Thursday and precipitation is possible beginning Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.
“We’re going to see another round of critical fire conditions across Southern California,” Todd Hall of the National Weather Service said Wednesday morning.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order to accelerate cleanup efforts in burned areas and mitigate the environmental impacts of fire-related pollutants.
-She ordered crews to remove vegetation, shore up hillsides, install barriers and reinforce roads ahead of possible weekend rains, which could create mud and debris flows.
“This is intended to prevent additional damage to areas already ravaged by fire and also to protect our watershed, beaches and ocean from toxic runoff,” Mayor Bass explained during a press conference.
Los Angeles County supervisors also approved an emergency motion to install flood control infrastructure and remove sediment in fire-affected areas.
“While the fires have subsided, new challenges await us. Rain is forecast and the threat of mudslides and debris in our fire-affected communities is very real,” warned Supervisor Kathryn Barger.
Officials urged residents to review evacuation plans, prepare emergency kits and be on the lookout for fires and report them promptly.
Bass also said winds could carry ash and advised citizens to protect themselves from toxic air. Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said the ashes could contain heavy metals, arsenic and other harmful substances.
“Even brief exposure can potentially cause skin irritation and lead to more serious problems,” she said, asking people to wear protective gear while cleaning.
A 60 to 80 percent chance of a small amount of rain was forecast for Southern California beginning Saturday, with most areas likely receiving no more than 0.8 centimeters, according to Ryan Kittell, a meteorologist with the Bureau of the National Weather Service for Los Angeles.
However, up to 2.5 centimeters could fall during localized thunderstorms, which would be a worst-case scenario if it was enough to trigger debris flows on burned hillsides.
“But even if the rain does not materialize this time, it could be a good exercise for these communities, because it will be a threat that they will have to deal with for months or years,” Mr Kittell warned.
In 2018, Montecito, a city located 130 kilometers from the coast of Los Angeles, was ravaged by landslides after torrential rain hit mountain slopes devastated by a massive forest fire. Twenty-three people died and hundreds of homes were damaged.
