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.

The Palisades and Eaton wildfires continue burning in the Los Angeles area that left parts of Southern California with devastating fire damage.

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

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.

After a two-week closure prompted by the Eaton Fire, 10 campuses and programs in the Pasadena Unified School District are set to reopen.

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 erupted amid powerful winds Wednesday morning in the Castaic area, quickly spreading to more than 9,000 acres.

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."

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.