A fast-moving brush fire raced across thousands of acres of thick vegetation near Castaic Lake Wednesday, forcing mandatory evacuations in the lake area and into the heart of Castaic, with warnings stretching toward Santa Clarita and reaching the Ventura County line.

With conditions Friday improving on the fire lines and containment growing, evacuation orders and warnings were dramatically scaled back around the Hughes Fire near Castaic Lake. While evacuation orders remained in place for areas around the immediate perimeter of the fire,

Photos taken of the Hughes Fire around Castaic Lake, California captured the massive blaze and cloud of smoke visible from Six Flags Magic Mountain.