More than 50,000 are under evacuation orders or warnings as a new wind-driven wildfire spreads in the mountains north of Los Angeles.

Evacuations were ordered on Wednesday for remote communities near a new wind-driven wildfire in mountains north of Los Angeles.

More wildfires started in Southern California on Tuesday night and Wednesday, as gusty Santa Ana winds continue to plague the state this week.

More than 50,000 people were under evacuation orders or warnings Wednesday as a huge and fast-moving wildfire swept through rugged mountains north of Los Angeles, as parched Southern California endured another round of dangerous winds and two major previous blazes continued to smolder.

Firefighters have slowed the spread of a huge wildfire churning through rugged mountains north of Los Angeles where dangerous winds gained strength again.

The fire threat remains critical in Southern California, where thousands of residents were under evacuation orders Wednesday as fire crews battled the out-of-control Hughes Fire near Castaic, a suburb in the foothills and mountains of northern Los Angeles County.

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.