Firefighters made progress Thursday in containing the Hughes Fire, which ignited near Castaic Lake, north of Los Angeles. By afternoon, the fire was 24% contained, having burned over 10,000 acres, according to Cal Fire.

Mandatory evacuation orders issued Wednesday for more than 31,000 residents were lifted, but 54,900 people remained under evacuation warnings. These warnings urge residents to stay prepared for possible orders to leave, as noted by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

“This fire was one of those tough, fast-moving Santa Ana wind-driven fires,” said Brent Pascua, a Cal Fire battalion chief. Dry brush provided ample fuel for the flames, which were reported Wednesday morning near Lake Hughes Road. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

A firefighting helicopter drops water over the Hughes Fire in Castaic, Calif., on Thursday.

The Hughes Fire coincides with ongoing red flag warnings, in place through Friday morning. Officials warned that conditions, though slightly less extreme than the winds driving the Palisades and Eaton fires earlier this month, remain dangerous for rapid fire growth.

A smaller fire erupted Wednesday in Sepulveda Pass, near Sherman Oaks and UCLA, but swift firefighting efforts stopped its spread at 40 acres. Cal Fire reported it was 60% contained by Thursday.

The Palisades and Eaton fires, which burned earlier in January, left devastation in their wake. Together, they destroyed thousands of homes and structures, including entire communities like Altadena. The Eaton Fire is now 95% contained, while the Palisades Fire is 72% contained after consuming more than 23,400 acres.

Experts link the increasing frequency of such wildfires to climate change, with Santa Ana winds amplifying their intensity. Los Angeles Fire Chief Anthony Marrone described these fires as among the worst disasters in the city’s history, creating unprecedented challenges for containment efforts.