Hughes Fire, latest wildfire to explode in LA-area, could go nuclear, expert warns

A terrifying new wildfire burning out of control north of Los Angeles that has already torched 3,400 acres could “go nuclear,” a wildfire expert warned.A huge column of smoke was reported in the wilderness near Castaic, California, at about 10:45 a.m.Wednesday, prompting the local fire department to dispatch aircraft and 50 fire engines to the scene, the fire monitoring agency Watch Duty reported.Authorities have closed roads and issued evacuation orders for communities around what is now called the Hughes Fire.Wildfire expert Jacob Weigler, who is based in Pierce County, Washington, has been in contact with colleagues near the scene and monitoring the fire’s spread.He said the initial equipment request from fire services indicated a potentially massive disaster.“That one’s gonna go nuclear.

It’s big,” Weigler told The Post.“You know what the fuels are capable of doing in that area right now, and what the wind does is going to be a big deal for this,” he added, referring to the recent high winds and dry conditions that sparked the deadly and ongoing LA wildfires earlier this month.For now, at least, the fire doesn’t seem to be a threat to major urban areas.“It sounds like that [fire] footprint is not going to be right on top of people, which is a good thing,” Weigler said....