Mandatory evacuations issued due to wildfire in foothills near Los Angeles National Forest

Evacuations were prompted on Saturday due to a wildfire tearing through the foothills of a national forest to the east of Los Angeles. The blaze, dubbed the Line Fire, was ravaging the edge of the San Bernardino National Forest and had already consumed approximately 6 square miles of land, comprising grass and chaparral. Dark smoke hung heavy in the area as the fire burned unchecked.

Originating on Thursday evening, the cause of the fire remains unknown as investigations are ongoing. In response to the wildfire, some 500 firefighters were engaged in combating the flames, aided by helicopters dropping water on the affected areas from above.

Authorities expressed concerns about the potential for significant expansion of the fire over the following 12 hours. Fortunately, there were no reports of injuries, and no homes or structures had been harmed by the blaze thus far.

Meanwhile, amid a relentlessly scorching heatwave, downtown Los Angeles recorded a high temperature of 112 degrees Fahrenheit on Friday. This marked the third instance since 1877 that temperatures in excess of 112 degrees had been recorded in the city.