A massive wildfire in the foothills of a national forest near Los Angeles threatened thousands of buildings and forced residents to evacuate. The raging wildfire continues during a severe heatwave marked by extreme temperatures.
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The Line Fire, as it is referred to, was raging along the perimeter of the San Bernardino National Forest, approximately 65 miles east of Los Angeles. By Sunday morning, the fire had scorched around 27 square miles of grass and chaparral, per the AP. It produced a dense cloud of dark smoke that obscured the region.
On Saturday, the fire burned with such intensity that it generated its own thunderstorm-like weather systems, producing pyrocumulus clouds that could lead to more challenging conditions, including gusty winds and lightning strikes, according to the National Weather Service.
Firefighters also contended with steep terrain, which hindered their efforts to control the blaze. By Sunday afternoon, the fire remained uncontained.
County officials declared a state of emergency on Saturday evening and issued evacuation orders for Running Springs, Arrowbear Lake, areas east of Highway 330, and several other regions.
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Steven Michael King, a resident of Running Springs, initially intended to stay and combat the fire while assisting his neighbors. However, by Sunday morning, as the flames intensified, he made the difficult decision to evacuate. Despite having taken precautions to protect his home from fire damage, he feared that smoke might obstruct his escape route later on.
“It came down to, which is worse, being trapped or being in a shelter?” King recalled to the AP. “When conditions changed, I had to make a quick decision, just a couple of packs and it all fits in a shopping cart.”
Joseph Escobedo shared that his family has resided in Angelus Oaks for approximately three years without ever needing to evacuate due to wildfires. As of Sunday afternoon, they also remained among the few families with young children who chose to stay in the area.
“It’s kind of frightening with the possibility of losing your home and losing everything we worked really hard for,” Escobedo admitted. ”It’s hard to leave and not be sure if you’re gonna be able to come back.”
Meanwhile, state firefighters reported that three of their members sustained injuries while over 35,000 structures are at risk, including single-family homes, multi-family residences, and commercial buildings.
The affected area is close to small mountain towns in the San Bernardino National Forest, popular for skiing in winter and mountain biking in summer. Running Springs is located on the way to the well-known ski resort town of Big Bear.