Firefighters are battling a new brush fire that erupted along the 405 Freeway in Seal Beach, as they also race to contain the Hughes Fire near Castaic Lake.

The Hughes Fire near Castaic, California, has burned over 5,000 acres, prompting evacuations and school closures.

A large brush fire that erupted near Interstate 5 in Castaic has burned more than 5,000 acres, causing several evacuation orders and warnings Wednesday morning.

As the sun began to set over Castaic Lake on Wednesday, the hills to the north and east were engulfed in flames, casting an eerie orange glow across the valley below.

The blaze was reported just after 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22 in the area of Lake Hughes Road near the 5 Freeway, according to Cal Fire.

Coverage of when the Hughes fire exploded north of Castaic, the areas under evacuation orders and an extended red flag warning.

The Hughes fire seen from Magic Mountain has started north of Castaic and has exploded to more than 5,000 acres in under two hours on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, in Castaic, California. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times/TNS) (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

A brush fire ignited near Castaic Lake amid windy and dry conditions Wednesday afternoon, forcing evacuations in the area as the blaze quickly grows.

The Hughes Fire in Castaic area has burned more than 9,400 acres in just hours. While Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone called it a "difficult fire," he said that crews are "getting the upper hand on containing the blaze."

Firefighters battled two new brush fires - the Hughes Fire near Castaic Lake and the Sepulveda Fire in Bel Air, along the 405 Freeway.

With conditions improving on the fire lines and containment growing, evacuation orders and warnings were dramatically scaled back Thursday around the Hughes Fire near Castaic Lake. While evacuation orders remained in place for areas around the immediate perimeter of the fire,