At least 28 people are believed to be dead and more than a dozen others remain unaccounted for as multiple wildfires rage across Southern California.

The Hughes Fire near Castaic, California, has burned 10,176 acres, prompting evacuations and school closures across SoCal. Follow Newsweek's live blog.

Two people were arrested for arson in separate incidents just outside the fire zone on Wednesday, according to the LAPD. In one incident, a citizen extinguished a fire in a tree and detained an arson suspect, police said. That suspect admitted to starting the fire because he "liked the smell of burning leaves," police said.