CASTAIC, United States: An explosive new wildfire erupted north of Los Angeles on Wednesday, forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate their homes and setting nerves jangling in an area still reeling from two deadly blazes. Ferocious flames devoured hillsides near Castaic Lake, spreading rapidly to cover more than 9,400 acres (3,800 hectares) in just a few hours. The fire was fanned by strong, dry Santa Ana winds racing through the area, pushing a vast pall of smoke and embers ahead of the firefront.
Evacuations were ordered for 31,000 people around the lake, which sits 35 miles (56 kilometers) north of Los Angeles, and close to the city of Santa Clarita. "I'm just praying that our house doesn't burn down," one man told broadcaster KTLA as he packed his car. The Hughes Fire came as the greater Los Angeles area was on edge after two enormous fires tore through America's second largest metropolis, killing more than two dozen people and wreaking billions of dollars of devastation.
Around 4,000 firefighting personnel, backed up by aircraft and bulldozers, surged to the new blaze, a massive response that Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said was paying dividends. "The situation remains dynamic, and the fire remains a difficult fire to contain, although we are getting the upper hand," he told an evening press conference. "We are going to be on scene all night long, gaining more perimeter control, making sure that we can put out the hot spots, and then have enough.
