Firefighters battled multiple wildfires Thursday in southern California, including a new blaze that erupted a day earlier and prompted authorities to order more than 30,000 people to evacuate.
The Hughes Fire northwest of the city of Los Angeles became the latest focus for fire crews Wednesday as it swelled to burn an area of more than 41 square kilometers near the Lake Castaic recreation area.
The fire was about 14% contained early Thursday as forecasters warned of another day of dry and windy conditions that could make it difficult to keep fires from spreading.
A firefighting helicopter drops water over the Hughes Fire in Castaic, a northwestern neighborhood of Los Angeles County, California, Jan. 22, 2025.
There is a chance for some relief in the coming days with the National Weather Service saying some rain is expected in the area beginning Saturday.
Forecasters said they expect up to a centimeter of rain across much of the Los Angeles area, while localized thunderstorms could bring even more rain in limited locations. The potential for those storms has prompted concerns about the possibility of mudslides with debris flowing down hilly areas that have been scorched by several weeks of wildfires.
In addition to the Hughes Fire, crews are still battling the Palisades Fire on the western side of Los Angeles and the Eaton Fire in the foothills to the north of the city.
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Trump scheduled to tour Los Angeles fire damage Friday
The fires that broke out in Southern California on Jan. 7 have killed at least 28 people and destroyed thousands of buildings. The death toll is expected to climb as emergency workers comb through the ashes.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who has been critical of the response to the fire, is expected to travel to Los Angeles this week.
Some information for this report came from The Associated Press.