Line Fire Threatens Thousands of Structures in California

The Line Fire, an out-of-control wildfire near the San Bernardino National Forest east of Los Angeles, has threatened over 35,000 buildings and forced hundreds of residents to evacuate amid a severe heat wave with triple-digit temperatures. As of Sunday morning, the blaze has scorched approximately 27 square miles, creating a thick cloud of smoke and producing its own thunderstorm-like weather systems, which could lead to gusty winds and lightning strikes, complicating firefighting efforts. County officials declared a state of emergency and issued evacuation orders for several communities, including Running Springs and Arrowbear Lake. Residents have shared their experiences of making difficult evacuation decisions as conditions rapidly worsened. Firefighters are challenged by steep terrain and have reported injuries among their ranks. The fire remains uncontained as of Sunday afternoon, with continued risks expected.