A fast-moving brush fire raced across thousands of acres of thick vegetation near Castaic Lake Wednesday, forcing mandatory evacuations in the lake area and into the heart of Castaic, with warnings stretching toward Santa Clarita and reaching the Ventura County line.

A fast-moving brush fire rapidly exploded across thousands of acres of thick vegetation near Castaic Lake, prompting mandatory evacuations in the lake area and into the heart of Castaic, but while high winds push the flames,

CASTAIC, Calif. (AP) — Firefighters fought to maintain the upper hand on a huge and rapidly moving wildfire that swept through rugged mountains north of Los Angeles and resulted in more than 50,000 people being put under evacuation orders or warnings.

A fast-moving brush fire erupted in Los Angeles County on Wednesday morning, quickly racing across 1,000 acres of terrain, aided by heavy, dry fuels and pushed by gusting Santa Ana winds. Named the Hughes Fire,

Around 19,000 people are under evacuation orders after the fire quickly grew to more than 8,000 acres. The 5 Freeway corridor is also closed.

The Hughes Fire was first reported shortly after 10:30 a.m. along Lake Hughes Road, near Castaic Lake and the 5 Freeway, according to Cal Fire.

The fire threat remains critical in Southern California, where thousands of residents were under evacuation orders Wednesday as fire crews battled the out-of-control Hughes Fire near Castaic, a suburb in the foothills and mountains of northern Los Angeles County.

More than 50,000 people were under evacuation orders or warnings Wednesday as a huge and fast-moving wildfire swept through rugged mountains north of Los Angeles, as parched Southern California endured another round of dangerous winds and two major previous blazes continued to smolder.

A new fire broke out Wednesday night along the 405 Freeway. The fire was burning on the east side of the freeway near the Sepulveda Fire Road. Multiple fire engines were on the scene.

Firefighters fought to maintain the upper hand on a huge and rapidly moving wildfire that swept through rugged mountains north of Los Angeles and resulted in more than 50,000 people being put under evacuation orders or warnings.

The Hughes fire started off Lake Hughes Road just before 11 a.m. and quickly prompted evacuations orders in and around Castaic Lake, which by afternoon extended toward Ventura County to the west and near Sandberg to the north. More than 31,000 people were ordered to evacuate and another 20,000 were in areas where evacuation warnings were issued.