A California fire department ripped through thousands of acres in Lake Hughes on Wednesday and burned to the ground, spreading rapidly to zero.
Photos of the fire show smoke rising in the air as flames creep up a mountainside.
The blaze broke at 3.30pm Pacific Time in the foothills of the mountainside community about 65 miles north of Los Angeles. It is reported near North Lake Hughes and Pine Canyon roads in the Angeles National Forest Fox LA.
The Lake Fire sends a plume of smoke across the Angeles National Forest on Wednesday, August 12, 2020 in a view of Santa Clarita, California (AP Photo / Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Provincial firefighters assisted local crews in the fight against the flames, which according to authorities destroyed 400 acres within an hour. By 5:30 p.m., it had burned 6,000 acres, Fox LA reported. By then, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies had begun evacuating local residents.
It had grown to 10,000 acres by 6:30 p.m., according to authorities, and threatened various structures. The forest itself covers about 700,000 hectares.
In response, the Fire Department of the Los Angeles County Fire Department said that commanders of incidents had doubled the number of “regional teams” responding to the fire to 20.
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Authorities said they closed Lake Hughes Road from Castaic to Pine Canyon as a result of the fire.
Helicopters were spotted dropping water on the fire, according to ABC 7.
The official Twitter account for the Angeles National Forest shared an image taken street level outside the city that showed thick clouds of smoke that lay well above the mountain peaks.
The National Forest had previously issued campfire restrictions, and the California Department of State Forest Management and Fire Prevention launched a public awareness campaign aimed at reducing the risk of fires caused by humans. Stoves, lanterns and other appliances with gas and propane propulsion are currently prohibited.
The Lake Hughes fire sends a root smoke over the Angeles National Forest on Wednesday, August 12, 2020, in a view of Santa Clarita, California. (AP Photo / Ringo HW Chiu)
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Forecasters warned Tuesday that hot, dry conditions could create a threat of new wildfires breaking out across the West. Excessive heat warnings were also in effect for Southern California and the Southwest, according to the National Water Service.
In Colorado, the Grizzly Creek Fire Tuesday forced authorities to close Interstate 70 in the Rocky Mountains. By Wednesday afternoon, it had spread to more than 3,700 acres, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
