This is a developing story and will be updated. For the most recent information on the fire, you can consult:
About 19,000 people are under evacuation orders after the Hughes Fire broke out Wednesday near Castaic Lake and quickly grew to more than 5,000 acres. Highway 5 is also closed in the Tejon Pass area due to the fire.
Castaic High School, which has about 1,330 students, was evacuated and students were released to parents or transferred to West Ranch High School in Stevenson Ranch.
Renee Stewart, an employee at the Castaic Union district office, told LAist that all schools have been evacuated, which represents about 2,000 students according to the California Schools Dashboard.
The schools evacuated are:
Northlake Hills Elementary School students head to Castaic Sports Complex
while students who have not been picked up by their parents at other schools are in the Ralph’s parking lot at the intersection of Old Road and Halsey Canyon Road.
Einer Rivera, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, told LAist that 476 people from the Pitchess Detention Center were evacuated to the North County Correctional Center.
Since the North County Correctional Facility is in evacuation zones, Sheriff Robert Luna said the department is prepared to move to Plan B if necessary.
“Plan B calls for them to be transported to other county facilities and to be transported by any means possible,” he said. “We have buses that go up there.”
A fire truck drives past flames caused by the Hughes Fire in Castaic on Wednesday, January 22, 2025.
Ethan Swope
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Associated Press
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Evacuation alerts are also in place for around 15,000 residents.
The Saugus Union School District canceled classes and asked parents to immediately pick up students from Tesoro del Valle Elementary School and West Creek Academy.
“Neither school is in the current evacuation zones, but the unpredictable nature of bushfires in high winds necessitates this caution.
step,” Superintendent Colleen Hawkins wrote in a statement.
The Los Angeles Unified School District announced it had postponed indoor and outdoor sporting events for San Fernando Valley area schools due to the fire.
The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory until 10 p.m. Wednesday and high wind warnings are in effect overnight until 2 p.m. Thursday. The NWS also extended the Red Flag Warning in the area until 10 a.m. Friday.
A map shows the fire area of the Hughes Fire on January 22, 2025.
Evacuation orders have been issued by the Los Angeles County Fire Department for the following areas:
Authorities say those who need more time to evacuate and those with pets or livestock should leave immediately. (These areas are shown on the map above.)
Caltrans announced that all northbound lanes of Highway 5 are closed north of State Route 126. Motorists can instead use State Route 14. Drivers are asked to avoid the area and wait heavy traffic on State Route 126 and 101.
Prepare now. Listen to our podcast The Big Burn
LAist science reporter Jacob Margolis examines the new normal for big fires in California.
If you need to evacuate:
Navigating Fire Conditions:
How to help yourself and others:
How to start the recovery process:
What to do for your children:
Prepare for the next disaster:
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