Line Fire in California grows to more than 20,500 acres; thousands of homes threatened

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    HIGHLAND, California (KABC) — Several days after it ignited in the Highland area of San Bernardino County, the Line Fire continued to burn through rough mountain terrain Monday, growing to 20,553 acres amid scorching temperatures.

The blaze started Thursday evening and quickly spread over the weekend, forcing evacuations and shutting down roads in the area.

No homes have been reported destroyed as of Monday, but more than 36,000 structures were threatened in the area including residential homes, commercial buildings and other minor structures.

According to Cal Fire, containment creeped up to 3% as firefighters contended with hot, dry conditions and tough terrain.

Officials said a chance of thunderstorms expected throughout the day could pose even further problems for firefighters on the ground.

“The latest challenge has been those thunderstorms, and we’re just keeping up with them,” said Cal Fire’s Brent Pascua. “We’re making sure that we have our firefighters in all different directions, so if it switches directions like it did yesterday, we’re there to meet it.”

At least three firefighters were injured, but details on their conditions were not released.

A brush fire fueled by hot temperatures and dry brush has grown to 20,500 acres and is threatening thousands of homes in San Bernardino County.

Over the weekend, Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency in San Bernardino County for the fire, and announced new federal grant money to help fight the blaze. The emergency declaration allows the government to waive certain regulations, letting people impacted by the fire to gain quicker access to unemployment benefits, for example, or obtain records they lost such as marriage and birth certificates. It also waives certain regulations on hospitals and child care facilities.

The state has also obtained a Fire Management Assistance Grant from FEMA, Newsom said. The grant allows local agencies to apply for reimbursement of up to 75% of their firefighting costs.

Shifting winds and dry brush led a fire in the Highland area to explode in size to more than 7,100 acres on Saturday, forcing evacuations. Officials said the blaze was generating its own weather conditions, as pyrocumulus – also known as fire clouds – formed overhead. The National Weather Service says some 3,700 lightning strikes were recorded in the clouds on Saturday – and more than 270 lightning strikes on the ground which had the potential to ignite new blazes.

Thunderstorms were creating down drafts which were pushing the blaze in unpredictable directions, according to Chris Prater with San Bernardino County Fire.

“Firefighters are fighting a very tough battle,” Prater said. “They’re fighting in 100-plus degree temperatures. Very steep terrain. And some new weather conditions today with thunderstorms that came in.”

Authorities issued evacuation orders and warnings that remained in place Monday. Multiple road closures are also in place.

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