The Hughes Fire near Castaic, California, has burned over 5,000 acres, prompting evacuations and school closures.

As critical fire weather continues to strike in Southern California, crews are also tasked with preparing for a storm expected this weekend that could trigger mudslides in burn scar areas.

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. As more than 400 firefighters responded to the scene, an air tanker and four helicopters attacked the blaze from the air, preventing it from jumping Interstate 5, officials said.

Crews fighting the fires were expected to be tested by strong Santa Ana winds of up to 80 kph with gusts reaching 105 kph.

Over 1,100 firefighters were “strategically pre-positioned” across Southern California to address "ongoing critical fire weather," Cal Fire said.

A hard-charging brush fire erupted in northern Los Angeles County on Wednesday, hustling through 5,054 acres of terrain so far, aided by heavy, dry brush and pushed by gusting Santa Ana winds, Cal Fire officials said.

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

Even as Santa Ana winds continued to blast parts of the Southland, helping to fuel a new brush fires in the Castaic area and Sepulveda Basin, local authorities are turning their attention Thursday to the possibility of rain hitting the area this weekend,

The Sepulveda fire was the latest blaze in a nerve-racking week as Southern California headed into a fourth consecutive day of red flag fire weather warnings.

Firefighters fought to maintain the upper hand on a huge and rapidly moving wildfire that swept through rugged mountains north of Los Angeles and resulted in more than 50,000 people being put under evacuation orders or warnings.