Hughes fire ignites north of Los Angeles late Wednesday morning as Eaton and Palisades fires burn for third week

Additional evacuations were ordered for residents near a large fast-moving wildfire north of Los Angeles, as parched southern California endured another round of dangerous winds ahead of possible rain over the weekend.

The Hughes fire broke out late on Wednesday morning and quickly ripped through nearly 5,000 acres of trees and brush, sending up an enormous plume of dark smoke near Castaic Lake, a popular recreation area about 40 miles (64 km) from the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires that are burning for a third week.

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© Photograph: David Swanson/Reuters

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© Photograph: David Swanson/Reuters

Some had returned to the hotel year after year. Their deaths — amid dozens of others at the hotel — have stirred grief and outrage.

© Murad Sezer/Reuters

The Little Red Hen Coffee Shop offered grits and community for decades before it was lost in the Eaton fire.

© Philip Cheung for The New York Times

All 17 people who died in the Eaton fire lived in an area where evacuation orders came hours later than others, even as homes nearby were already burning. Some people never received warnings at all.

© Loren Elliott for The New York Times

Forecasters warn gusty conditions will return on Wednesday, marking end of break in fire-risk conditions

Southern California was bracing for more dangerous winds on Tuesday as new wildfires broke out across the region, which is continuing to grapple with the major fires that have ravaged Los Angeles communities.

Forecasters warned that strong winds would hit southern California for at least two more days. The winds had eased somewhat on Tuesday afternoon after peaking at 60mph (96kph) in many areas, but gusty conditions will return on Wednesday, said Ryan Kittell, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service’s office for Los Angeles.

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© Photograph: Noah Berger/AP

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© Photograph: Noah Berger/AP

The pre-dawn blaze broke out at a popular resort during a school break. Some survivors spoke of terrifying escapes.

© IHA, via Associated Press