A stretch of Interstate 5 in northern Los Angeles County that had been closed due to the nearby Hughes Fire reopened Wednesday evening, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Earlier Wednesday afternoon, authorities closed the highway in both directions through Grapevine, with northbound lanes closed at the interchange with Highway 126 and southbound traffic closed at Grapevine Road, on the southern edge of Kern County.
“For a variety of reasons, we’re going to reopen the highway so people can go back and forth again,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said at a news conference.
However, Luna stressed that those who do not need to travel should still avoid the area.
“If you don’t live in this area, if you follow the smoke, if you want to go see what the firefighters are doing, turn on the TV,” he said. “Do not drive in these areas. You impact the entry and exit of emergency vehicles. We don’t need more traffic. We want less traffic.
