Hughes fire: Evacuations, road closures, shelters

Jan. 22, 2025 Updated 3:20 PM PT

Share via
- Email
- Facebook
- X
- LinkedIn
- Threads
- Reddit
- WhatsApp

The Hughes fire is burning around Lake Castaic north of Castaic. The blaze broke out shortly before 11 a.m. Wednesday amid red flag warnings for the region. Fanned by strong winds, the blaze quickly grew to 5,054 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Evacuation order

L.A. County has issued evacuation orders for areas in and around Lake Castaic. This zone roughly encompasses the area east of Lake Piru and the Ventura County border, west of Bouquet Canyon Road, south of Sandberg and north of Castaic Junction.

Ventura County issued an evacuation order for an area east of Lake Piru and west of Interstate 5.

Evacuation warning

Warnings are in place in L.A. County areas along the perimeter of the evacuation zone. This includes the communities of Pyramid Lake, Sandberg, Three Points, Caswell, Lake Hughes and Del Valle.

Ventura County also issued an evacuation warning for the area east of Camulos to the L.A. County border and north of Highway 126 to Lake Piru.

Most updated evacuation instructions can be found here, and here.

This article is provided free of charge to help keep our community safe and supported during these devastating fires.

Subscribe now

Road closures

Interstate 5 was closed in both directions along its Grapevine section. Northbound 5 was closed at the interchange with California 126, on the northern edge of Valencia. Southbound 5 was closed at Grapevine Road, on the southern edge of Kern County.

Road closures were set up at Ridge Route Road at Lake Hughes Road, Ridge Route Road at Templin Highway, Lake Hughes Road at Pine Canyon Road and Dry Gulch Road at San Francisquito Canyon Road, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The Parker Road and Lake Hughes Road offramps on the 5 Freeway are closed.

Shelters

People in evacuated areas can shelter at Valencia High School at 27801 Dickson Drive in Valencia
Large pets are being accepted at Pierce College at 6201 Winnetka Ave in Woodland Hills
Small pets are being accepted at the Palmdale, Agoura, and Lancaster Animal Care Centers.

More to Read

California Fires

Hannah Fry

Hannah Fry covers breaking news for the Los Angeles Times. She most recently covered Orange County for The Times and has written extensively about criminal trials, housing, politics and government. In 2020, Fry was part of the team that was a Pulitzer finalist for its coverage of a boat fire that killed 34 people off the coast of Santa Barbara. Fry came to The Times from the Daily Pilot, where she covered coastal cities, education and crime. An Orange County native, Fry started her career as an intern at the Orange County Register.

Summer Lin

Summer Lin is a reporter on the Fast Break Desk, the Los Angeles Times’ breaking news team. Before coming to The Times, she covered breaking news for the Mercury News and national politics and California courts for McClatchy’s publications, including the Miami Herald. An East Coast native, Lin moved to California after graduating from Boston College and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. Lin was among The Times’ staff members who covered the Monterey Park mass shooting in 2023, which was recognized by the Pulitzer Board as a finalist in breaking news.