A large wildfire in the foothills of the San Bernardino National Forest, east of Los Angeles, threatened many buildings and forced residents to evacuate due to extreme heat and dangerous conditions. The Line Fire had burned 27 square miles of grass and chaparral, creating pyroculumus clouds which could lead to challenging weather like gusty winds and lightning strikes. Evacuation orders were issued for several areas, and more than 35,000 structures were at risk.
Many residents had to leave their homes quickly, fearing being trapped by smoke or extreme weather. Firefighters faced steep terrain and a lack of containment of the fire. State officials warned of the potential for afternoon thunderstorms to cause new fires and hinder firefighting efforts.
In addition to the Line Fire, a smaller fire in Clearlake City forced 4,000 people to evacuate and burned several structures. The extreme heat, dry vegetation, and low humidity in the area made firefighting efforts difficult. Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for San Bernardino County.
Hundreds of firefighters were battling the blaze, supported by helicopters and other aircraft dropping water on the flames. Despite the dangerous conditions, no homes or structures had been destroyed yet. The nearby city of Los Angeles experienced record-breaking temperatures, highlighting the severity of the heat wave in the region.
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