Evacuation orders in Los Angeles were lifted for thousands of residents on Thursday after firefighters succeeded in slowing down the spread of massive fire.
The hilly region still remains under a red flag warning for critical fire risk until Friday, with strong winds challenging containment efforts.
The Hughes Fire, which erupted near Castaic Lake on Wednesday, quickly engulfed a vast green patch of almost 41 square kilometres of trees and brush.
Firefighters had made significant effort by Thursday afternoon, containing about a quarter of the blaze.
The lake, a popular recreation spot situated at the distance of 64 kilometres from the sites of the weeks-old Palisades and Eaton fires, also remains under threat.
Meanwhile, two new fires broke out in San Diego County on Thursday. A blaze in La Jolla, near the University of California, prompted temporary evacuations before being brought under control.
Another fire near the US-Mexico border spread rapidly through the Otay Mountain Wilderness, home to endangered species like the Quino checkerspot butterfly.
Rainfall, which is forecasted for the weekend, has ignited hopes of relief from the months-long dry spell.
“We had helicopters dropping water until around 3 a.m., which kept the fire in check,” said fire spokesperson Jeremy Ruiz.
While nearly 54,000 residents in the Castaic area remain under evacuation warnings, no homes or structures have been reported damaged.
Among those affected was Kayla Amara, a nurse from Valencia. She rushed to a friend’s home in Castaic’s Stonegate neighbourhood to retrieve belongings but found herself hosing down the property as the fire grew.
“It’s been stressful with those other fires, but now that this one is close to home it’s just super stressful,” she said.
Series of blazes
The Palisades Fire is now almost 75 per cent contained, while Eaton Fire is 95 per cent under control. These two devastating blazes, which began earlier this month, have claimed 28 lives and destroyed more than 14,000 structures.
California officials are preparing for potential debris flows as rain approaches, particularly in the Pacific Palisades and Altadena areas, where damage is extensive.
Statewide, the fires have caused an estimated $28 billion in insured damage, with additional losses likely uninsured, according to disaster modelling firm Karen Clark and Company.
In response, the California Legislature approved a $2.5 billion fire relief package on Thursday to assist recovery efforts in Los Angeles and other affected areas.
President Donald Trump is set to visit the state on Friday to assess the damage, though it remains unclear whether he will meet with Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom during the trip.
