Evacuations ordered as wildfire burns in foothills of national forest east of LA

SAN BERNARDINO, California — Evacuations were ordered Saturday after a wildfire ripped through the foothills of a national forest east of Los Angeles. The heat wave lasted for days, sending temperatures in the region into the triple digits.

The so-called Line Fire was burning out of control along the edge of the San Bernardino National Forest, about 65 miles (105 kilometers) east of Los Angeles. By Saturday afternoon, the blaze had burned about 6 square miles (15.5 square kilometers) of grass and chaparral, sending a thick cloud of dark smoke over the area.

The fire broke out on Thursday evening and its cause is being investigated.

About 500 firefighters battled the blaze, supported by helicopters that dropped water on houses and hills, and by planes.

Firefighters said the fire had the potential to become “major” in the next 12 hours.

There were no injuries and no homes or other buildings were damaged or destroyed.

According to the National Weather Service, downtown Los Angeles hit 113 degrees Fahrenheit on Friday, marking the third time since 1877 that a high of 113 degrees Fahrenheit or higher has been reached.