Amid an extended red flag warning, the Hughes fire exploded north of Castaic on Wednesday and quickly grew to more than 9,400 acres. About 31,000 people in areas surrounding the fire were under evacuation orders.

On Wednesday, Jan. 22, the Hughes fire broke out in Castaic amidst the red flag warning, spreading to over 9,000 acres by Wednesday evening as dry and windy weather affected the area.

Hughes Fire initially started today at 10:53 a.m. in Los Angeles County. It has burned 50 acres after being active for less than an hour. At present, there are no details on the containment of the fire. Vegetation fire reported near Castaic Lake with a rapid rate of spread and spotting.

With high winds driving the flames, a fast-moving wildfire exploded to roughly 10,200 acres near the Los Angeles County community of Castaic Wednesday — prompting mandatory evacuation orders for tens of thousands of people.