Mandatory evacuations in place amid wildfire in foothills near Los Angeles National Forest

Evacuations were recently mandated as a wildfire ravaged the foothills near a national forest on the eastern side of Los Angeles, amidst days of scorching temperatures soaring into the triple digits in the area. The fire dubbed Line Fire was spreading uncontrollably along the outskirts of the San Bernardino National Forest, situated approximately 65 miles east of LA. By Saturday afternoon, the fire had consumed around 11 square miles of grass and chaparral, resulting in a dense cloud of dark smoke enveloping the vicinity. The fire erupted on Thursday evening, and an investigation into its cause is currently ongoing.

The firefighting efforts involved about 500 firefighters working to contain the blaze, aided by water-dropping helicopters and various aircraft flying over homes and hillsides to suppress the flames. Firefighters expressed concerns over the potential for significant fire expansion within the next 12 hours. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported, and there have been no reports of damage to homes or other structures so far.

According to the National Weather Service, downtown Los Angeles experienced a scorching temperature of 112 degrees Fahrenheit (44 degrees Celsius) on Friday, marking the third instance since 1877 when temperatures in that range were recorded in the area.