The out-of-control Line fire grew to 17,459 acres on Sunday morning, with zero containment and additional evacuation warnings issued as the number of homes threatened soared.
The total number of homes and structures at risk in the region jumped to 35,405, Cal Fire said in its Sunday morning update.
“Thunderstorm outflow winds are causing very erratic behavior and vegetation is critically dry,” Cal Fire said in its update. “The fire will start out under smoky skies today which will help moderate fire behavior, but as smoke clears through the afternoon, fire activity will once again pick up. Smoke remains a challenge for aircraft, limiting access to parts of the fire.
Map: This is where the Line fire is burning near Highland
“Limited resources and logistical support have hampered fire control efforts,” Cal fire added. “Hot and dry conditions mixed with thunderstorms are expected to challenge firefighters for the next few days.”
On Saturday, the agency noted that the steep terrain and lack of access impacted crews’ ability to access some areas of the blaze.
The fire in the San Bernardino Mountains, including in the San Bernardino National Forest, prompted the closure of Highway 330 between Highland and Running Springs. The fire jumped to the west side of the 330 about 5 miles above the Highland/San Bernardino area. Also on Saturday evening, Highway 18 was closed going northbound from Kuffle Canyon to Running Springs, Caltrans said.
The structures threatened included single and multi-family homes and commercial buildings, Cal Fire said.
As of 9:45 a.m., evacuation warnings were announced for Angelus Oaks, Seven Oaks and Mountain Home Village.
See map with evacuation orders and warnings
The fire largely burned in grass up to 2 1/2 feet tall and chaparral up to 6 feet. It generated massive volumes of smoke that spread through the Inland area and parts of Los Angeles and Orange counties, prompting the South Coast Air Quality Management District to extend a smoke advisory.
The fire was so intense on Saturday it created its own clouds and associated lightning strikes, the National Weather Service said.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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