CASTAIC, Calif. (AP) — Firefighters fought to maintain the upper hand on a huge and rapidly moving wildfire that swept through rugged mountains north of Los Angeles and resulted in more than 50,000 people being put under evacuation orders or warnings.

The Hughes Fire broke out late Wednesday morning and in less than a day had charred nearly 16 square miles of trees and brush near Lake Castaic.

The Hughes fire broke out in the morning in parkland just north of the city of Santa Clarita. By 10pm, it had scorched more than 10,000 acres of Los Angeles and Ventura counties. More than 4,000 firefighters are battling the blaze,