News

A New Fire, A New Problem

Stuart Schmidt, Journalist

January 23, 2025

Wednesday: Firefighters scramble day and night fighting Eaton, Palisades, Auto, Lidia, Hurst, Kenneth, and Sunset fires. Another villain came into the room. The Hurst Fire.

Firefighters monitor the Hughes fire off of Tapia Canyon Road on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, in Castaic. More photos (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)

Breaking out near Castaic Lake, the fire became a glutton, devouring 10,000 acres of land and posing an “immediate threat to life”. Authorities commanded 31,000 people to evacuate.

The Hughes Fire burns behind the skyline of Six Flags Magic Mountain, in Valencia, Calif., on Thursday.Brandon Bell / Getty Images

Here is an image of just what is going on:

Emergency vehicles are on the side of the road as flames from the Hughes Fire race up the hill in Castaic, a northwestern neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, on January 22, 2025. A new wildfire erupted north of Los Angeles on January 22, exploding in size and sparking thousands of evacuation orders in a region already staggering from the effects of huge blazes. Ferocious flames were devouring hillsides near Castaic Lake, spreading rapidly to cover 5,000 acres (2,000 hectares) in just over two hours. The fire was being fanned by strong, dry Santa Ana winds that were racing through the area, pushing a vast pall of smoke and embers ahead of the flames. Evacuations were ordered for 19,000 people all around the lake, which sits around 35 miles north of Los Angeles, and close to the city of Santa Clarita. (Photo by Frederic J. Brown / AFP) — Emergency vehicles at the scene of the Hughes Fire in Castaic, a northwestern neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, on January 22, 2025 [Frederic J Brown/AFP]

Donate to The Campus Courier

Your donation will support the student journalists of New Way Academy. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.

About the Contributor

Stuart Schmidt, Journalist

G’day! I am a senior here at New Way. A student by winter and a gold miner by summer, I live a life of adventure and purpose! I report on a myriad of problems that affect us all, breaking down current events, key interviews, health, and problem/solution pieces. I interview a variety of guests who have immense expertise in their given subject, providing quality information that can influence your lives—the economy, wars, and disasters. Please Enjoy!