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

The Hughes Fire is currently burning over 30 acres a minute, which is the length of 23 football fields each minute, according to our ABC data team.

The brush fire, which erupted around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, has burned over 5,000 acres in the Castaic area in north Los Angeles County.

An estimated 19,000 people live in the mandatory evacuation zones, while another 16,000 people live in the Hughes Fire evacuation warning zones.

That's a total of 35,000 people in mandatory or warning evacuation zones.

The Hughes Fire is rapidly spreading in the Castaic area in northern Los Angeles County.

Several schools in near Castaic were forced to evacuate and close Wednesday due to the Hughes Fire burning in the area.

The brush fire is ignited around 11 a.m. at Lake Hughes Road.

Northlake Hills Elementary School has been evacuated. Students were taken to the Aquatic Center at 31350 Castaic Road.

Castaic Elementary and Castaic Middle schools were evacuated. The students were taken to the Ralph's Market parking lot at 29675 the Old Road.

Castaic High School was evacuated.

All schools within the Castaic Union School District will be closed on Thursday, according to the district, which sent a message to staff and families Wednesday afternoon. District officials said its Educational Services Department will be sharing optional learning opportunities for your students during the closure.

Trinity Classical Academy in Valencia will also be closed on Thursday due to the fire.

The College of the Canyons closed for the day out of an abundance of caution.

Tesoro del Valle Elementary and West Creek Academy parents asked to pick up their children and all child care has been canceled for the rest of the day out of an abundance of caution due to the fire.

The moment the Hughes Fire erupted near Castaic Lake was captured on camera.

Video recorded Wednesday from a U.C. San Diego camera captured the moment the rapidly growing blaze began.

Footage from a U.C. San Diego camera captured the moment the rapidly growing Hughes Fire erupted near Castaic Lake.

The fire triggered mandatory evacuations in the region.

A brush fire erupted amid powerful winds Wednesday afternoon in the Castaic area, spreading quickly to more than 3,400 acres near the 5 Freeway, officials said.

Fire crews from Los Angeles County and the Angeles National Forest were responding to the so-called Hughes Fire burning in the area of Lake Hughes Road.

A brush fire erupted amid powerful winds Wednesday afternoon in the Castaic area, spreading quickly to more than 500 acres near the 5 Freeway, officials said.

Evacuation orders and warnings were issued shortly after 11 a.m. according to an official map on Genasys.com.

No injuries were reported and no structures are being immediately threatened.

The cause of the fire was unknown.