A brush fire exploded in the Lake Hughes area on Wednesday afternoon.
A brush fire and quickly grew to consume thousands of acres.
The Lake fire was reported at about 3:30 p.m. near North Lake Hughes Road and Pine Canyon Road in the Angeles National Forest.
According to Marvin Lim of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. It spread rapidly and by 6:30 p.m. had scorched 10,000 acres.
A mandatory evacuation order was in effect for Lake Hughes residents north of the fire, west of Pine Canyon Road and South of Dry Gulch Road.
The evacuation about 150 homes were in the affected area, Los Angeles County Fire Department Inspector Sky Cornell said.
Sheriff’s deputies had helped the people from 20 households get to safety as of 6:40 p.m.
A center for displaced residents was set up at Highland High School, 39055 25th Street West, in Palmdale.
People will be asked to stay in their cars to limit the potential spread of COVID-19.
Small pets can be left with the Castaic Animal Care Center, 31044 Charlie Canyon Rd., the Lancaster Animal Care Center, 5210 W Avenue I, and the Palmdale Animcal Care Center, 38550 Sierra Highway.
Evacuees with large animals can drop them off at the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds, 2551 W Avenue H in Lancaster.
The fire created plumes of smoke seen from areas throughout LA County and as far away as Venice Beach.
Winds were not significantly contributing to the fire’s growth, but it was surrounded by thick, dry brush that became its fuel as it traveled north and east, Cornell said.
Communities like Lancaster, Fairmont and Palmdale, which are in the direction of the fire’s spread but on the other side of the forest, were not immediately threatened.
At least 400 firefighters from multiple agencies and counties contended with temperatures in the upper 90s and low humidity as they worked to gain control of the fire, Cornell said.
At least one firefighter has been hurt while working on the fire.
Details regarding the severity of those injuries were not immediately released.
Teams will be working to extinguish the fire well through the evening, Cornell said.
They will rely heavily on aircraft during the nighttime hours and focus on protecting buildings.
“That’s always our first priority, is saving homes,” Cornell said.
The blaze prompted the closure of Lake Hughes Road between Castaic and Pine Canyon roads.
