Hughes Fire breaks out near Castaic Lake as strong winds, dry conditions linger across SoCal

Mandatory evacuations were issued Wednesday in the Castaic area due to the fast-spreading Hughes Fire.

CAL FIRE's map shows the evacuation zones.

Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for the following zones, according to CAL FIRE:

CAS-BITTERCANYON
CAS-CAMBRIDGE
CAS-CASTAICLAKE
CAS-CHARLIECANYON
CAS-GOLDENSTATE
CAS-GREENHILL
CAS-HASLEY
CAS-HILLCREST
CAS-PARADISERANCH
CAS-RIDGE
CAS-ROMERO
CAS-SLOAN
LAC-E008

Evacuation warnings were issued for the following zones:

CAS-BISCAILUZ
CAS-INDUSTRY
CAS-LIVEOAK
CAS-OAKCANYON
CAS-VALVERDE
GOR-E004
GOR-HUNGRYVALLEY
LAC-E005
LAC-E009-B
LAC-E011-A
LAC-E011-B
LAC-E016
LAC-E029
LAC-FRANCISQUITO
SCL-KELLYJOHNSON
SCL-TESORODELVALLE
SLC-REYESABODE
SLC-STERLING.

Road closures

- Ridge Route Rd at Lake Hughes
- Ridge Route Rd at Templin Hwy
- Lake Hughes at Pine Cyn
- Dry Gulch at San Francisquito Cyn Rd
- I-5 NB at Parker Rd Off Ramp and I-5 NB at Lake Hughes Rd off ramp will be shut down.

Evacuation shelters
- Evacuation center: Valencia High School - 27801 Dickson Dr, Valencia, CA 91355

Mandatory evacuations were issued Wednesday in the Castaic area due to the fast-spreading Hughes Fire. CAL FIRE's map shows the evac zones.

For a few hours overnight, Southern California was not under a red flag warning, but another warning has been issued - which means the critical fire danger isn't over. This comes as the region urgently prepares for rain this weekend, triggering landslide fears in fire-damaged communities.

Light to moderate Santa Ana winds will continue through Wednesday afternoon across Ventura and Los Angeles counties, according to the National Weather Service. There will be another increase in northeast winds Wednesday night into Thursday.

The extended warning, which applies for a large swath of Southern California, is in effect through 8 p.m. Thursday. Temperatures will also warm up Thursday.

For a few hours overnight, Southern California was not under a red flag warning, but another warning has been issued - which means the critical fire danger isn't over.

Temperatures during the weekend will see a big drop as some moisture from the north moves into SoCal, bringing a chance of light rain and raising the threat of mudslides in fire-impacted areas.

In light of the fire danger and looming threat of mudslides, officials are urging residents to have an evacuation plan in place.

The Pacific Palisades home where chef Daniel Shemtob and his wife dreamed of raising a family is now nothing more than a cratered pit of twisted metal and rubble. Gone are the gourmet kitchen, the nursery with the baby giraffe and elephant wallpaper, the half-century-old olive trees in the yard.

But even as the Los Angeles-area wildfires continue to burn, Shemtob has been soothing his soul by dishing out free, foil-wrapped breakfast burritos and tacos from his award-winning food truck to first-responders and weary evacuees.

It would be easy for the two-time Food Network competition winner to dwell on the loss of the home, which he and his wife, Elyse, moved into about eight months ago, leasing with an option to buy. Yet he smiles, thinking about the people he has met through the food giveaways.

One man was so happy with his sweet and spicy steak taco that he declared it the first time he smiled since his home burned. Another person loved the simple cheese quesadilla the chef made for him so much, he came back for more and brought six family members.

Then there was the National Guardsman who lent a sympathetic ear one cold morning.

"He sat and wanted to hear my story while he ate his breakfast burrito," said Shemtob, 36. "That was very cathartic."

A brush fire erupted in the riverbed of the Santa Ana River in Jurupa Valley and quickly grew to about 38 acres.

The fire was reported around 5 p.m. Tuesday in the area of Van Buren Boulevard and Clay Street, near the Western Riverside County/City Animal Shelter, according to CalFire.

CalFire initially said the Clay Fire was at two acres and burning at a slow rate of speed in the river bottom. No evacuation orders were issued, but an evacuation warning was in place for a couple of hours.

CalFire announced around 11 p.m. that the evacuation warning had been lifted, but cautioned that crews were still working in the area. The fire is 40% contained.

Firefighters battled a brush fire in Jurupa Valley that grew to about 38 acres.