The Line Fire
The Line Fire began in the foothills of the San Bernardino National Forest. As of Monday night, it had burned more than 25,800 acres. Unfortunately, only 5% of the blaze has been contained so far.
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On its path, roughly 38,000 structures are at risk of being destroyed, as per the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Devastation So Far
What began on Thursday night just outside Los Angeles forced roughly 6,000 people to evacuate the area.
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More than 10,000 more people are under evacuation orders and could be called to leave their homes at any time. Thankfully, no homes have been taken just yet. However, personnel on the scene have described the scene as apocalyptic.
Unprecedented Heat
The temperatures have been rising throughout the weekend while the Line Fire gets stronger and creates its own weather system.
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The wildfire has produced its own thunderstorms, similar to pyrocumulus clouds – or fire clouds – which created 280 lightning strikes that hit the ground.
Other Major Fires in the Area
Aside from the Line Fire, other major blazes in the area, the Airport Fire in Orange County and the Bridge Fire in Angeles National Forest, have also created their own pyrocumulus clouds.
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The increased weather activity surrounding an area being devastated by fire shows how the natural disaster can continue to worsen the conditions in the area.
Worse News on the Way
Unfortunately, worse weather conditions could exacerbate the situation for firefighters.
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Tuesday’s forecast is meant to bring strong winds that might “help fire spread” but mid-week cooling temperatures could also “moderate fire activity and increase fuel moistures,” CalFire said.
Governor Issues a State of Emergency
Thankfully, Governor Gavin Newsom stepped in late Saturday to declare a state of emergency due to the Lane Fire.
MONTEREY PARK, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 22: California Governor Gavin Newsom stands near the scene of a deadly mass shooting at a ballroom dance studio on January 23, 2023 in Monterey Park, California. An 11th person has died and nine more were injured at the studio near a Lunar New Year celebration on Saturday night. A candlelight vigil for the victims will be held in the predominantly Asian American community of Monterey Park tonight. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Fire officials claim that the California National Guard is being dispatched in four Blackhawk helicopters and other aircraft to assist with the airborne firefighting systems. More than 80 Army soldiers will also be deployed to the area, including 1,890 personnel fighting the blaze, 191 engines, and 15 helicopters.
Evacuated Communities
Several evacuation orders are in place for communities in the Los Angeles area.
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Also, the Bear Valley Unified and Redlands school districts closed all schools on Monday and Tuesday due to the increased concern of the fire.
The Airport Fire
On Monday, the Airport Fire broke out as a small bushfire in Trabuco Canyon, Orange County, just south of Los Angeles. In just a few hours, the fire exploded to nearly 5,400 acres by Monday evening, the OC Fire Authority shared.
Source: @VOANews/X
The fire was reported near a remote-controlled plane airport and immediately prompted evacuations for Robinson Ranch and Traduce Highlands.
The Bridge Fire
Another concerning blaze in the area is the Bridge Fire in the Angeles National Forest just east of LA.
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The fire began on Sunday and stands at nearly 3,000 acres with 0% containment so far. Residents north of San Antonio Dam uo through Mount Badly Resort have been issued an evacuation order.
Fires in Nevada
Another fire is ranging onwards in Nevada as well. The David Fire has burned roughly 5,000 acres so far and is 0 percent contained by fire personnel on the scene. The area affected is the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest.
Source: Freepik
The fire began near Davis Creek Regional Park, which is just outside of Reno. So far, at least 14 structures have been destroyed, prompting road closures and outages for more than 17,000 customers on Saturday.
Cooler Temperatures Are Coming
Thankfully, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week will bring the last days of the ultra-high temperatures in California before a much-needed cooldown.
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As of Monday, the area was still suffering from triple-digit temps. Unfortunately, increasing winds are still affecting fire personnel fighting the line fire. Evacuation warnings will continue until the blaze is contained.