Additional Coverage:
**San Bernardino County Residents Ordered to Evacuate as Line Fire Escalates Rapidly**
On Saturday, September 7, mandatory evacuation orders were issued for residents of hundreds of homes in the vicinity of the San Bernardino National Forest in southern California as the Line Fire experienced significant growth.
*The Line Fire rages above SR-330 near a fire station in San Bernardino County, causing the highway to shut down in both directions.
(Photo by Cal Fire/Facebook)*
Communities including Running Springs and Arrow Bear Lake were required to evacuate on Saturday. The previous day, portions of Highland, California, were also placed under evacuation orders as the rapidly spreading wildfire neared the city of San Bernardino. The fire ignited on Thursday night.
Highway 330 and other roads in the local area were closed as efforts to control the Line Fire intensified. According to National Forest officials, the wildfire expanded dramatically to over 7,000 acres by Saturday.
The surge of the Line Fire coincides with extreme heat warnings and unprecedented high temperatures recorded on September 7 across southern California. In particular, dangerously high temperatures ranging from 102 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit were reported in San Bernardino and Riverside counties.
Approximately 500 firefighters have been dispatched to combat the blaze. As of late Saturday afternoon, the fire was 0% contained. Authorities cautioned of the potential for further “large fire growth” within the following 12 hours as the fire progressed north-northeast.
The eastern flank of the fire was of utmost concern due to containment challenges, while the western edge was approximately 12 miles east of the San Bernardino International Airport.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection noted, “Resources continue to respond from throughout the state. Fire crews continue to make progress during the nighttime hours due to higher humidity and nighttime water-dropping helicopters.”
Efforts are being hindered by rugged terrain and limited access to some fire-affected areas, but support from fixed-wing and rotary aircraft is assisting the firefighting teams.