Line fire in Southern California sees thousands evacuated
Over 10,000 people are under evacuation orders after a line fire in Southern California. The uncontrolled wildfire in the southern part of the state is spreading fast, threatening homes, businesses, and other buildings in San Bernadino County, east of Los Angeles.
The wildfire started on Thursday before spreading rapidly over the weekend. This led California’s Governor Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency. The line fire on the edge of the San Bernadino National Forest grew to over 20,000 acres or 32 square miles. 3% of it had been contained.
It is the fourth-largest active wildfire in the state since quadrupling in size over the weekend. On Sunday, the San Bernadino County Sherriff’s Department issued evacuation orders for residents of Running Springs and Arrowbear Lake. These communities sit along a main route to two popular tourist destinations, Lake Arrowhead, and Big Bear Lake.
The area has a total population of over 6,000 people according to CBS News. Green Valley Lake, Cedar Glen, Lake Arrowhead, Crestline and Valley of Enchantment were all told they may have to evacuate on short notice.
According to fire officials, over 36,000 structures are threatened by the line fire. This includes family homes, commercial buildings, and other “minor structures.”
“The flames were right up on us because the wind shifted,” Highland resident Brian Gano, who had attempted to hose down the flames alongside both his wife and son, told KCAL News.
The causes of the fire are currently under investigation. Officials believe that current weather conditions could play a part in “causing very erratic behaviour on the Line Fire.” The region, they added, is critically dry.
Smokey skies create a challenge for aircraft, limiting their access to certain areas where they can fight the fire. Over 1,700 firefighters have been assigned to fight it with three having already been injured.
