The Hughes Fire is the largest of new wildfires that broke out this week, covering at least 10,176 acres across both Los Angeles and Ventura counties, according to Cal Fire, which says 14% of the fire is contained.
The Sepulveda Fire, which erupted out of a brush fire near Beverly Hills on Wednesday night, grew to 40 acres. Firefighters were working Thursday morning to fully extinguish the flames and any hot spots.
The Clay Fire, in Riverside, is about the same size although more than half was contained Thursday morning.
The Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire, still burning on opposite sides of L.A. weeks after they first sparked, are now largely contained. The Palisades Fire has engulfed 23,448 acres, with 70% containment, and the Eaton Fire, at just over 14,000 acres, is almost completely contained.
New brushfire breaks out in L.A., near Beverly Hills
Firefighters are battling a brush fire that broke out late Wednesday night in western Los Angeles near Beverly Hills, the Los Angeles Fire Department says.
It was reported near the I-405 freeway in the Sepulveda Pass in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
It said the blaze, which is being called the Sepulveda Fire, was moving through heavy brush. There were 8-15 mph winds in the area with gusts up to 25 mph, the National Weather Service Los Angeles office reported.
Helicopters were dropping water on the blaze.
Some evacuation warnings were issued but all were lifted at 2 a.m. local time, the L.A. Fire Department said, adding that the flames’ advance had been stopped.
CalFire said overnight that the fire had consumed some 40 acres.
I-5 Freeway reopens amid Hughes Fire
The Interstate 5 Freeway through the Grapevine in north Los Angeles County fully reopened Wednesday evening, several hours after the fast-growing Hughes Fire forced the major thoroughfare to close in both directions.
California Highway Patrol reopened the freeway after smoke was no longer causing visibility concerns on the roadway, officials said.
The 5 Freeway through the Grapevine is a major artery connecting southern and central California. It runs from the U.S.-Mexico border all the way north through Oregon and Washington state to the Canadian border.
