Massive new Los Angeles-area fire balloons as winds pick up – World

CASTAIC, CALIFORNIA: Powerful winds and bone-dry conditions could pose a challenge to firefighters battling new wildfires in southern California on Thursday, including a blaze that swelled over the past day and forced tens of thousands of evacuations north of Los Angeles.

The Hughes fire, about 50 miles (80 km) north of Los Angeles, grew to 10,176 acres (4,118 hectares) since igniting on…