A sprawling wildfire recently erupted in Los Angeles County on Wednesday, prompting evacuation orders impacting tens of thousands of California residents.
The Hughes Fire, which was first reported on Wednesday morning, was first located in the unincorporated community of Castaic in northwestern Los Angeles County. As of 2:15 p.m. local time, the fire was 0% contained and had burned over 5,000 acres.
According to Cal Fire, residents in several regions near the Hughes Fire are urged to leave immediately. This includes the vicinity of Castaic Lake, Paradise Ranch and the Ridge Route.
19,000 people have been ordered to evacuate, while 16,000 are under an evacuation warning, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
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The Hughes Fire burns near the I-5 freeway north of Los Angeles on Wednesday near Castaic, Calif. The wildfire is prompting mandatory evacuations just over two weeks after the Eaton and Palisades Fires caused massive destruction across Los Angeles County. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
“Immediate threat to life. This is a lawful order to LEAVE NOW,” the Cal Fire alert reads. “The area is lawfully closed to public access.”
Residents east of Lake Piru in neighboring Ventura County were also ordered to evacuate, along with students and teachers at Castaic High School, according to FOX 11 Los Angeles.
Aerials show smoke billowing near Castaic Lake, a reservoir in the Sierra Pelona Mountains.
The new fire comes amid a deadly wildfire season in the Golden State, as firefighters have battled destructive Southern California blazes for weeks.
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The Hughes Fire burns north of Los Angeles on Wednesday near Castaic, Calif. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
The Pacific Palisades fire, which began on Jan. 7, is still burning and has claimed at least 11 lives and over 6,500 structures.
Other residents near the Hughes Fire, such as those living in the vicinity of Oak Canyon or Hungry Valley, are warned to evacuate but not ordered to do so.
Residents are encouraged to visit the Cal Fire website to determine whether they need to evacuate.
The Hughes Fire comes in the midst of a destructive wildfire season in California. (KTTV)
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The Los Angeles County Fire Department is actively battling the fire. Fox News Digital reached out to Castaic Unified School District for additional information.
Fox News Digital’s Sophia Compton and Alex Koch contributed to this report.