"The fire is growing with a moderate rate of spread and structures are threatened," Cal Fire said as it issued evacuation orders.

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

The Hughes Fire was first reported shortly after 10:30 a.m. along Lake Hughes Road, near Castaic Lake and the 5 Freeway, according to Cal Fire.

Earlier this month, strong Santa Ana winds created the ideal conditions for fire to spread, spurring flames at multiple wildfires in Los Angeles. Firefighters are ... the two new fires have been called the Lilac Fire and the Pala Fire.

As wildfires continued to burn in Los Angeles, three fires broke out in San Diego County, prompting evacuation orders and warnings.

The Los Angeles haven’t spread in nearly a week, but the return of the Santa Ana winds to full strength could cause problems.

A second day of windy and dry conditions is in store for Southern California. Winds have picked up and are expected to continue through Tuesday morning, raising the risk of new wildfires sparking.

The Hughes Fire has spread over 5,054 acres after starting just before lunchtime in Los Angeles County's Castaic Lake area on Wednesday.

Search and rescue operations are ongoing, and residents forced to evacuate from the fires are still "probably at least a week out" from returning home, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said. Cal Fire said teams are in the fire zones analyzing the burn areas to determine places of concern.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in an update Thursday that 18 people remain missing after the Southern California wildfires. Overall, authorities received a total of 43 missing persons reports related to the Eaton and Palisades fires. Of those, 12 were located safe.

Parched Southern California was forecast to face more dangerous winds on Wednesday but could get some badly needed rain this weekend, dampening the prospects of another round of killer wildfires.

As the cleanup phase of recovery begins after the devastating fires in L.A. County, displaced residents grapple with new uncertainty surrounding the cost and timeline for rebuilding.