The fire threat remains critical in Southern California, where thousands of residents were under evacuation orders Wednesday as fire crews battled the out-of-control Hughes Fire near Castaic, a suburb in the foothills and mountains of northern Los Angeles County.

A fast-moving wildfire exploded to roughly 10,200 acres near the Los Angeles County community of Castaic Wednesday morning, prompting mandatory evacuation orders and road closures, authorities said.

Much-anticipated rain could be headed to drought-stricken Southern California this weekend -- but rainfall also brings the threat of landslides.

Thousands of sandbags are being loaded in anticipation of an upcoming storm that could lead to mudslides in Southern California’s recent burn zones. Cal Fire and California Conservation Corps personnel were seen filling bags in Pasadena Tuesday for residents in the Eaton Fire foothill burn areas.