A brush fire erupted amid powerful winds Wednesday afternoon in the Castaic area, quickly spreading to more than 3,400 acres as it burned out of control near the 5 Freeway, officials said. Fire crews from Los Angeles County and the Angeles National Forest responded to the so-called Hughes Fire after it broke out about 11 a.

A fast-moving brush fire raced across thousands of acres of thick vegetation near Castaic Lake Wednesday, 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.

The Hughes Fire burned more than 10,000 acres across the Castaic, forcing 55,000 residents into evacuation orders or warnings across Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Thousands are under evacuation orders between Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

The Palisades and Eaton wildfires also continue burning in the Los Angeles area, leaving parts of Southern California with devastating fire damage.

Coverage of when the Hughes fire exploded north of Castaic, the areas under evacuation orders and an extended red flag warning.

A fire north of a jail complex in Castaic has triggered evacuations in L.A. County, even as Southern California hopes for some rain to help with firefighting efforts.

The Hughes Fire near Castaic, north of Los Angeles, was 24% contained on Thursday afternoon, according to Cal Fire.

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.

Monday's red-flag warning is a PDS, which stands for "particularly dangerous situation." But what does that mean? An NWS meteorologist explains.

The Hughes Fire has spread over 8,096 acres after starting just before lunchtime in Los Angeles County's Castaic Lake area on Wednesday.

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.