Amid an extended red flag warning, a new fire exploded north of Castaic. Evacuations were ordered after 11 a.m. Wind gusts reached 31 mph Wednesday afternoon in the area and are expected to increase over the next several hours.

With more dangerous winds coming, LAFD says it has staffed all of its available extra engines and staged more than two dozen engines in fire risk areas, measures they failed to take ahead of the deadly Palisades fire.

Southern California is battling the Hughes Fire, which broke out around 11 a.m. near Lake Hughes Road, close to the 5 Freeway and Castaic Lake in Los Angeles County.

Fires across the Los Angeles area have killed at least 24 people and destroyed more than 12,000 structures, officials said, scorching more than 60 square miles and displacing tens of thousands of people.

Wednesday, 12:25 p.m. PST The Hughes Fire grew to 3,407 acres, according to Cal Fire, with evacuation orders extending to the community of Castaic and evacuation warnings stretching to the northernmost parts of Santa Clarita, which had an estimated population of 224,028 in 2023.

Thousands of firefighters have been battling wildfires across 45 square miles of densely populated Los Angeles County. The two largest fires, the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades and the Eaton Fire near Pasadena, remain active.

This is the third PDS warning issued within 14 days in the greater Los Angeles area, which is "unprecedented" for the region, according to the National Weather Service.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Windy and dry conditions returned to Southern California on Monday, raising the risk of new wildfires sparking as firefighters continue to battle two major blazes in the Los Angeles area that started in similar weather nearly two weeks ago.

After a weekend of reprieve allowing fire teams to continue making progress battling the deadly infernos burning in Los Angeles County, Southern California now faces another round of fire-fueling Santa Ana winds.

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A red-flag warning in Southern California has been extended through Thursday as the fire-scarred region ... according to the National Weather Service. There will be another ...

Friday, 12:36 p.m. PST Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced another eight people were charged for crimes linked to the wildfires in Los Angeles, bringing the total to 17 as the accused face charges such as looting, arson and impersonation of a firefighter.