More than 500 homes are under a mandatory evacuation order in the city of Highland due to the growing Line Fire.
The massive Line Fire exploded to more than 7,100 acres Saturday in Southern California’s San Bernardino County, as over 500 homes in the city of Highland faced mandatory evacuation orders.
About 500 firefighters battled the flames as the wildfire nearly doubled in size within hours and remained at zero containment, according to the San Bernardino National Forest. Early Saturday afternoon, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department announced a mandatory evacuation order for homes near the growing blaze.
Paired with the sweltering heat currently roasting Southern California, weather officials say that the smoke from the fire has created clouds similar to those that come with thunderstorms, prompting reports of lightning strikes in the area.
On top of this, the small fire-created storm system can also increase winds in the immediate area, which have fanned the flames as it continues to spread in the area.
The wildfire first sparked along Baseline Road around 6 p.m. on Thursday and tore through several hundred more acres before exploding over Friday night and surpassing 3,000 acres. The blaze has been burning near Highland, and on Friday, some residents said they could see it from their homes.
“The flames were right up on us because the wind shifted”, said Brian Gano, who lives in Highland. He was trying to hose down the flames alongside his wife and son. “I got a high-pressure line in my backyard.”
The skies above San Bernardino County lit up in a glowing orange hue as bright red flames could be seen tearing through the shrubbery. Firefighters flew through thick, billowing plumes of smoke to make fire retardant drops, working against the blaze from the air and ground.
