New wildfire in Los Angeles grows over 500 acres

LOS ANGELES -- A fast-moving brush fire erupted in US Los Angeles County Wednesday morning, expanding over 500 acres (2.02 square kilometers) with zero containment, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).

The blaze dubbed Hughes Fire was reported about 10:30 am Wednesday local time in the area of Lake Hughes Road near Castaic Lake, about 80 kilometers northwest of Los Angeles downtown, the KTLA news channel reported, noting it spread to the size in less than one and a half hours.

Fueled by heavy and dry plants and pushed by gusting Santa Ana winds, the latest wildfire in Southern California spread rapidly, the authorities said, adding evacuation orders had been issued in the Castaic Lake area and nearby remote canyon areas.

Los Angeles County has been inundated with deadly blazes this month. The Palisades and Eaton fires, the largest ones in the most populous county of the United States, have killed 28 people, sparked numerous mandatory evacuations, and destroyed thousands of structures.