Castaic, California | More than 50,000 people were under evacuation orders or warnings on Wednesday (Thursday AEDT) as a huge and fast-moving wildfire swept through rugged mountains north of Los Angeles, but fire officials said a rapid ground and air assault was giving them the upper hand.

The Hughes Fire broke out in the late morning and within six hours charred about 39 square kilometres of trees and brush near Lake Castaic, a popular recreation area about 64 kilometres from the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires that are burning for the third week.

Reuters and AP