New wildfire spreads alongside Los Angeles highway, engulfing more of Southern California in flames

Another wildfire on the outskirts of Los Angeles broke out Wednesday morning, creating a smoky chaotic scene along one of the region's traffic arteries.

The blaze began on the east side of Interstate 405 just before 5 a.m. local time, and quickly moved uphill, Los Angeles Fire Department spokeswoman Margaret Stewart said.

A Vanity Fair reporter tweeted photos and video of the rapid-moving fire as she drove to the airport.

"Car windows are hot. Stay safe, L.A.," she wrote, accompanied by a photo of mountains illuminated by merciless flames.

The fire moved so fast as it ate up the slopes' topography, she said, not because of the powerful winds feeding other fires.

Nearly 50 firefighters were on hand to battle the blaze early Wednesday, hoping to contain it before reaching homes at the top of the hills.

The fire is the latest one to break out in Southern California, as the area's mighty Santa Ana winds whipped up their flames.

Those powerful gusts have grounded essential aircraft used to drop water on the blazes.

RELATED: A look at the powerful wildfire in Ventura County

A fire in Ventura County, about 60 miles northwest of Los Angeles, had an 85-mile footprint by Tuesday night after starting a day earlier.

At least 150 buildings including a psychiatric hospital burned down as a result of the rapid Ventura fire, officials said, which has nearly reached the Pacific Ocean.

With News Wire Services