10,000-acre brush fire burns near Lake Hughes; mandatory evacuations ordered

A fast-moving, 10,000-acre brush fire was burning near Lake Hughes in northern Los Angeles County on Wednesday.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department was alerted to the fire near North Lake Hughes Road and Pine Canyon Road about 3:30 pm, according to Marvin Lim, a spokesman with the department.

The fire was at 0% containment as of about 6:30 p.m. Several residential structures, including ranches, are threatened.

The L.A. County Sheriff’s Department has announced mandatory evacuations for residents near Lake Hughes Road, including those living west of Pine Canyon Road and south of Dry Gulch Road.

An evacuation point was opened at Highland High School in west Palmdale where residents can stay in their cars. Animals may be brought to the Castaic Animal Care Center, the Lancaster Animal Care Center and the Palmdale Animal Care Center. Large animals only will be accepted at the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds.

Deputy Juanita Navarro, a Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman said Pine Canyon Road at Highway 138 has been closed, as well as the area west of Pine Canyon Road on Lake Hughes Road.

Lim said more than 300 firefighters, as well as several helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, had been deployed to the scene.

“It’s a fast-moving fire,” he said. “There’s a lot of vegetation in the area, and it’s moving in the northeast direction.”

The smoke plume from the fire could be seen as far away as Venice.

The combination of thick vegetation that hasn’t burned in several decades and hot and dry windy conditions are fueling the fire, according to Seneca Smith, a public information officer with the Angeles National Forest. She said she expects continued growth overnight.

The cause of the fire is unknown.