Huges Fire Explodes in Size, Forcing Evacuations
Updated 01/25/2025 at 10:00 PM

 

By Santa Clarita Star Staff

 

The Hughes Fire near Castaic Lake has rapidly grown to over 5,000 acres, forcing evacuations and road closures. Firefighters are battling the blaze, while residents are urged to monitor official resources for updates and heed evacuation warnings.

 

Castaic, CA - A rapidly growing brush fire, dubbed the Hughes Fire, has erupted near Castaic Lake, prompting mandatory evacuations and road closures. The blaze, which ignited around 11:00 AM off Lake Hughes Road north of Castaic Reservoir Road, has exploded in size, growing from 100 acres to over 5,000 acres in just two hours. As of 5:45 PM, the fire has expanded to over 9,400 acres.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department is battling the blaze alongside Angeles National Forest firefighters and other agencies. Fueled by dry brush and driven by strong winds, the fire is posing a significant challenge to containment efforts.

 

Evacuation Orders Expand

Mandatory evacuations were initially issued for areas surrounding Castaic Lake. As the fire rapidly spread, evacuation orders were expanded to include:

• Castaic Road
• Ridge Route
• Paradise Ranch Road
• North Lake Elementary
• Sloan Canyon Road
• Green Hill Drive
• Hill Crest Parkway
• Romeaow Canyon Road
• Hasley Canyon
• Canebridge Area
• Charlie Canyon Area

 

A permanent evacuation point has been established at the College of the Canyons East Gym, 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91355

 

Residents are urged to heed evacuation warnings and monitor official channels for updates.

 

Road Closures and Traffic Impacts

Several roads have been closed due to the fire, including:

• Ridge Road at Lake Hughes
• Ridge Road at Templin Highway
• Lake Hughes at Pine Canyon
• Dry Gulch at San Francisquito Canyon Road

 

While I-5 remains mostly open, heavy smoke is impacting visibility. The I-5 northbound off-ramps at Parker Road and Lake Hughes Road are closed.

 

"Six P's" for Evacuation Preparedness

The LA County Fire Department is reminding residents to remember the "Six P's" when evacuating:

1. People and Pets: Ensure everyone in your household, including pets, is safely evacuated.
2. Prescriptions: Gather essential medications, vitamins, and eyeglasses.
3. Plastic: Take credit cards, ATM cards, and cash.
4. Personal Computer: Secure hard drives and flash drives containing important data.
5. Pictures: Bring irreplaceable photos and memorabilia.
6. Papers: Collect important documents and phone numbers.

 

State Resources Deployed

Governor Gavin Newsom has confirmed that state resources have been deployed to assist in the firefight. "We will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide the federal government with whatever it needs to extinguish this fire," Newsom stated on X.

 

On January 22, 2025, Rep. George Whitesides (D-CA27) wrote on X that he was heading back to the district from Washington, DC. “Please pay close attention to evacuation alerts and orders,” he wrote.

 

Update: As of the latest reports, the Hughes Fire is 90% contained.

 

Additional Resources:

The City of Santa Clarita set up santaclaritaemergency.com for up-to-date information.  

LA County set up a website lacounty.gov/emergency.

Up-to-date evacuation warnings are being posted to protect.genasys.com.