SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (AP) — Tens of thousands of homes and buildings were threatened Sunday by an out-of-control wildfire burning in the foothills of a national forest east of Los Angeles, amid a days-long heat wave that pushed temperatures into the triple digits across the region. said three firefighters had been injured and more than 35,000 structures were threatened, including single and multi-family homes and commercial buildings, while authorities issued evacuation orders for several areas.
Thunderstorms expected later in the day could make conditions even more challenging. The so-called was burning along the edge of the San Bernardino National Forest, about 65 miles (105 kilometers) east of LA. As of Sunday morning, the blaze had charred about 27 square miles (70 square kilometers) of grass and chaparral, leaving a thick cloud of dark smoke blanketing the area.
“Afternoon thunderstorms could cause new ignitions and potentially influence activity around the fire perimeter,” state firefighters said in a Sunday morning update. “Hot and dry conditions mixed with thunderstorms are expected to challenge firefighters for the next few days.” County officials, who declared an emergency Saturday evening, issued evacuation orders for Running Springs, Arrowbear Lake, areas east of Highway 330 and other regions.
“Extreme temperatures, wind and lightning strikes have allowed the fire to grow rapidly,” the county said in a statement. Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a stat.