The fire sent a thick column of dark smoke into the air, complicating efforts to fight the blaze from the air.
LOS ANGELES, California – A brush fire quickly burned about 10,000 acres in the Lake Hughes area Wednesday, burning some structures and prompting a multi-agency effort and mandatory evacuations for at least 100 homes.
The Sheriff’s Department issued mandatory evacuation orders for residents on Lake Hughes Road, west of Pine Canyon Road and south of Dry Gulch Road.
An evacuation center for displaced residents was installed at Highland High School in Palmdale.
“In this evacuation, unfortunately, due to COVID protocols, no shelter has been established, people will have to stay in their cars,” said Sgt. Ron Schaffer of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
For people who stay in their cars in the center, they are allowed to take small animals with them.
The animal shelter was open at the Castaic Animal Care Center, Lancaster Animal Care Center, Palmdale Animal Care Center, and Antelope Valley Fairgrounds, according to the American Red Cross in Los Angeles.
The California Highway Patrol closed roads throughout the area. San Francisquito Canyon Road was closed to Spunky Canyon Road. Pine Canyon Road was closed at Three Points Road and Lake Hughes Road. Three Points Road was closed at Highway 138, and Old Ridge Route was closed at Highway 138. Lake Hughes Road was also closed at Ridge Route Road, the CHP reported shortly after 8:30 p.m.
The fire was reported around 3:30 p.m. near North Lake Hughes Road and Pine Canyon Road in the Angeles National Forest, according to Marvin Lim of the Los Angeles County Fire Department, who was fighting the fire with crews from the Angeles National Forest (known by its signs in English ANF).
The fire demonstrated a “rapid rate of spread” and ANF and county firefighters requested second alarm responses.
By 4:30 p.m., the flames had burned 400 acres and authorities said the fire had the potential to burn 1,000 acres, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. That quickly changed two hours later, when the flames exploded at an estimated 10,000 acres, without containment.
By 6:30 p.m. the fire was entirely on federal land, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
The fire sent a thick column of dark smoke into the air, complicating efforts to fight the fire from the air.
Amelia Warner
Amelia Warner writes all the Latest Articles. She mostly covers Entertainment topics, but at times loves to write about movie reviews as well.
