Wildfires in California and Nevada Spreading Fast Leading To Evacuations

Raging wildfires in California and Nevada have prompted mandatory evacuations for thousands of homes, with forecasts predicting record heat in the West over the coming days.

Currently, 14 wildfires are active across California, with one blaze so intense that it has created its own weather pattern. Here are the latest updates:

California’s Line Fire Expands Rapidly: The Line Fire, which ignited at the base of the San Bernardino Mountains on Thursday, has consumed 17,237 acres as of early Sunday. Since Saturday morning, the fire has more than quadrupled in size.

Authorities have issued evacuation orders for several areas as the fire shoots bright red flames and thick smoke into the sky.

Approximately 500 firefighters are battling the blaze, which was 0% contained as of Sunday morning, according to Cal Fire.

Line Fire Creates Its Own Weather: The fire is generating pyrocumulus clouds, which can create erratic winds that spread the blaze further and challenge firefighters.

These clouds have the potential to produce lightning and rain, known as pyrocumulonimbus, and can reach heights of 50,000 feet, generating their own thunderstorm systems.

Evacuations in California Mountain Communities: With the flames approaching dangerously close, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department has issued mandatory evacuation orders for about 4,800 homes in the Running Springs and Arrowbear Lake areas.

Hundreds more have been evacuated in Highland. Cal Fire reports that 8,733 structures are threatened, including homes, commercial buildings, and other minor structures.

State of Emergency Declared in California: Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency in San Bernardino County due to the Line Fire. He has secured a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to ensure the availability of essential fire resources.

Nevada Wildfire Destroys Structures: The Davis Fire, a dangerous blaze driven by strong winds south of Reno, has burned approximately 1,500 acres and destroyed at least six structures. It remains 0% contained as of Sunday morning.

According to Truckee Meadows Fire and Rescue, around 1,800 people are under evacuation orders.

NV Energy has cut power to about 18,700 customers to prevent further ignitions and protect first responders. Residents with remaining power are advised to prepare for potential outages.

Severe Heat Adds to the Region’s Woes: Excessive heat warnings and advisories are in effect for southern California, the Desert Southwest, and the northern Great Basin.

Temperatures in Southern California are expected to range from 95 to 105 degrees, about 10 to 20 degrees above average.

An air quality alert has been issued due to the heat wave and increased levels of fine particle pollution from wildfire smoke, according to the National Weather Service.

The Line Fire has grown over 14 times its size in just over 30 hours, from approximately 1,180 acres at 5 PM PT on Friday to more than 17,200 acres by Saturday night.

As the wildfire rages through the San Bernardino County mountains, some residents have attempted to protect their homes.

Highland resident Brian Gano told KCAL News that he and his family were trying to hose down the flames.

“The flames were right up on us because the wind shifted,” Gano said. “I got a high-pressure line in my backyard.”

Another resident, Diya Hirpara, reported stocking up on groceries in case of evacuation. “It was pretty scary,” Hirpara said. “We’re just kind of on the edge, just waiting.”

Multiple agencies, including Cal Fire, San Bernardino County Fire, and the San Bernardino County Sheriff, are working together to manage the fire. The American Red Cross has set up an evacuation shelter at a local church for those seeking refuge.

California is experiencing an active fire season, with over 838,000 acres burned so far this year compared to 255,144 acres at this time last year, according to Cal Fire.

Adding to the chaos, a pair of earthquakes struck near Ontario, California, on Saturday within a half-hour of each other.

The first earthquake, recorded at a magnitude of 3.5, occurred at 10 a.m. local time, followed by a 3.9 magnitude quake. The tremors were felt as far away as Los Angeles, according to data from the US Geological Survey.