Fire spreads in California, new hotspots ignite on the border with Mexico

Evacuation orders were lifted for tens of thousands of people after firefighters managed to slow the spread of a massive wildfire that broke out in the mountains north of Los Angeles. The Hughes Fire erupted late Wednesday morning, scorching more than 40 square kilometers of trees and brush near the Castaic Lake area in less than a day.

The fire is about 60 km from the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, where the destructive Palisades Fire has destroyed over 14,000 structures and continues to burn into its third week. Crews made significant progress Thursday in controlling the fire, reporting that the Hughes Fire is now about one-third contained. However, as they made progress, two new fires were reported in the San Diego area of Southern California. Evacuations were ordered but later lifted when a fire broke out late Thursday in the affluent La Jolla neighborhood near the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.

Further south, near the border with Mexico, another fire was reported. A new blaze had erupted and was spreading rapidly through the Otay Mountain desert. Rain is forecast for this weekend, bringing an end to Southern California’s months-long dry spell. Winds are also not as strong as they were when the Palisades and Eaton fires broke out on January 6 and 7, helping limit the spread of new fires.

Authorities say this was a key reason they were able to quickly contain so much of the Hughes Fire in the Castaic area. They also highlighted the use of helicopters dropping water on the blaze to prevent its growth into the early morning hours.

California will spend $2.5 billion (€2.39 billion) to help the Los Angeles area recover from all the fires, after Governor Gavin Newsom signed an aid package on Thursday.

Newsom signed the laws after the state legislature approved them with bipartisan support. The package will address the state’s disaster response efforts, including evacuations and shelters, as well as the removal of hazardous household debris.

Lawmakers also approved $4 million (€3.8 million) for local governments to streamline permits for rebuilding homes and $1 million (€957,000) to support school districts and help them rebuild facilities.

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