A wildfire in the foothills of the San Bernardino National Forest, 65 miles east of Los Angeles, has threatened tens of thousands of buildings and forced hundreds of residents to evacuate as a heatwave with triple-digit temperatures continues. The Line Fire has burned about 27 square miles of grass and chaparral, creating its own thunderstorm-like weather conditions that could worsen the situation with gusty winds and lightning strikes. Steep terrain has hindered firefighters’ ability to contain the blaze, which remained uncontrolled as of Sunday afternoon. Evacuation orders were issued for several areas, including Running Springs and Arrowbear Lake.
Residents like Steven Michael King and Michael Lee had to quickly evacuate their homes, fearing they could be trapped or cut off from escape routes due to the growing fire. State firefighters reported three injuries and over 35,000 structures threatened by the fire, which is expected to be exacerbated by the forecasted thunderstorms. The affected area near popular ski resort towns in the San Bernardino National Forest, including Running Springs, faces challenges in fighting the fire due to hot and dry conditions.
Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in San Bernardino County, where the fire has blanketed surrounding areas in smoke. Another fire in Clearlake City, 110 miles north of San Francisco, has forced thousands to evacuate and is also being combatted by firefighters. Redlands Unified School District cancelled classes for 20,000 students due to the fire. More resources and firefighters are being deployed to help contain the wildfire in San Bernardino County, where the cause is still under investigation.
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