Firefighters successfully contained the Hughes fire near Castaic in the Antelope Valley, with the blaze being held at 10,176 acres and 14% containment. The fire, which began on Jan. 22 due to strong Santa Ana winds, prompted evacuation orders and briefly shut down the 5 Freeway. Fortunately, no structures were reported damaged or destroyed. Over 4,000 personnel and a dozen aircraft were assigned to battle the blaze. Crews worked overnight to extinguish hot spots and flare-ups, with a red flag warning in effect until Friday. Meteorologists forecasted peak wind gusts on Thursday before a possible reprieve with light rain over the weekend.
Evacuation orders impacted approximately 31,000 people, with an additional 23,000 under warnings. Nearly 500 inmates were evacuated from the Pitchess Detention Center to a nearby correctional facility. The cause of the fire remained unknown. Authorities urged residents to stay informed and prepared for changing conditions as firefighters continued their efforts to contain and extinguish the Hughes fire.
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