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An out-of-control wildfire named the Line Fire in the foothills of the San Bernardino National Forest east of Los Angeles has burned approximately 27 square miles of grass and chaparral, threatening tens of thousands of buildings. The fire has forced hundreds of residents to evacuate as it burned so hot that it created its own thunderstorm-like weather systems and remains uncontained as of Sunday afternoon. Evacuation orders have been issued for Running Springs, Arrowbear Lake, and other areas.
Residents, such as Steven Michael King and Michael Lee, had to quickly evacuate as the fire escalated, leaving behind their homes in the path of the flames. State firefighters reported three injuries and more than 35,000 structures threatened by the fire, with the potential for more challenging conditions due to expected thunderstorms that could cause new ignitions and influence fire perimeter activity.
The affected area includes small mountain towns popular for skiing and mountain biking near the San Bernardino National Forest. The fire’s impact has also reached downtown San Bernardino, causing residents to prepare to evacuate. Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for San Bernardino County, and Redlands Unified School District canceled classes for 20,000 students.
Another wildfire in Clearlake City, north of San Francisco, forced around 4,000 people to evacuate and destroyed at least 30 homes and commercial buildings. Cal Fire officials are investigating the cause of the fires, which started during a dayslong heatwave with triple-digit temperatures. More firefighters are expected to join the battle against the fires in both affected regions.
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