Photos taken of the Hughes Fire around Castaic Lake, California captured the massive blaze and cloud of smoke visible from Six Flags Magic Mountain.

The Hughes Fire has spread over 8,096 acres after starting just before lunchtime in Los Angeles County's Castaic Lake area on Wednesday.

Firefighters in Southern California are once again battling a wildfire, this time in Castaic in Los Angeles County, north of Los Angeles itself. Evacuation orders have been issued for the surrounding areas.

An explosive new wildfire erupted north of Los Angeles on Wednesday, forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate their homes and setting nerves jangling in an area still reeling from two deadly blazes. Ferocious flames devoured hillsides near Castaic Lake, spreading rapidly to cover more than 9,400 acres in just a few hours.

The Hughes Fire has now burned 8,096 acres in Los Angeles and Ventura counties since igniting late Wednesday morning near Castaic Lake, according to Cal Fire. As more than 400 firefighters responded to the scene, an air tanker and four helicopters attacked the blaze from the air, preventing it from jumping Interstate 5, officials said.

Crews fighting the fires were expected to be tested by strong Santa Ana winds of up to 80 kph with gusts reaching 105 kph.

Over 1,100 firefighters were “strategically pre-positioned” across Southern California to address "ongoing critical fire weather," Cal Fire said.

The Palisades and Eaton wildfires also continue burning in the Los Angeles area, leaving parts of Southern California with devastating fire damage.

Even as Santa Ana winds continued to blast parts of the Southland, helping to fuel a new brush fires in the Castaic area and Sepulveda Basin, local authorities are turning their attention Thursday to the possibility of rain hitting the area this weekend,

More than 31,000 people have been ordered to evacuate, and another 23,000 are under evacuation warnings from the path of the fire around Castaic Lake.

A "particularly dangerous situation" warning goes into effect Monday as strong Santa Ana winds return along with a heightened risk of wildfires.