California fires updates: Death toll in Los Angeles fires rises to 29

A wildfire that erupted late Wednesday night in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Brentwood was stopped by fire crews before it could reach the Getty Villa art museum, officials said.

According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, the Sepulveda Fire started just after 11 p.m. on the Sepulveda Pass near the 405 Freeway.

As flames quickly spread up a hillside in the direction of the Getty Villa, hundreds of firefighters attacked the fire from the ground and air. Evacuation warnings were issued for the surrounding neighborhoods, including some in nearby Sherman Oaks.

By 2 a.m. local time Thursday, the Los Angeles Fire Department declared "all forward progress stopped" on the Sepulveda Fire and lifted the evacuation warnings. As of 8:30 a.m., the fire was 60% contained after consuming 40 acres, the LAFD said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

It was the second time in 15 days that flames have threatened the Getty Villa, home to more than 125,000 priceless artifacts. On Jan. 8, embers from the Palisades Fire engulfed the hillside the Getty Villa is perched atop, but fire crews stopped the blaze from reaching the museum.

The rapidly spreading brush fire that ignited Wednesday near Castaic Lake grew to 10,176 acres by early Thursday, according to local officials.

Firefighters battling the blaze in the brush north of Santa Clarita and Valencia had it about 14% contained on Thursday morning, according to Angeles National Forest officials.

The fire, about 45 miles north of downtown Los Angeles, erupted around 11 a.m. on Wednesday, prompting mandatory evacuation orders and evacuation warnings for about 50,000 people, officials said.

As more than 4,000 firefighters responded to the scene, an air tanker and four helicopters attacked the blaze from the air, preventing it from jumping nearby Interstate 5, officials said.

The Hughes Fires is just the latest in a series of wildfires that have ravaged Los Angeles County, since Jan. 7. Strong Santa Ana winds, which are forecast to buffet the area through Friday, have fanned the fires, causing some to spread quickly.

Red flag fire warnings remain in place for Los Angeles County and much of Southern California.

During a press briefing Wednesday evening, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone shared an update on the weather-driven Hughes Fire, which has expanded over 9,400 acres with no containment.

Marrone called the situation in Santa Clarita "dynamic and difficult to contain" in the dry, windy weather conditions.

The fire chief said the light to moderate Santa Ana winds are continuing to spread the blaze, but so far, no structures have been damaged or destroyed.

Approximately 31,000 people have been affected by evacuation orders and another 23,000 are under evacuation warnings.

A red flag fire warning for Los Angeles and Ventura counties has been extended until Friday at 10 a.m., officials said.

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.