Wildfires in California spread rapidly Tuesday as firefighters faced high winds, dry conditions and a heat wave that sent temperatures in the Los Angeles area into triple digits. Cooler weather in the forecast, however, could provide some relief soon.
Firefighters were also battling a blaze in dangerous, windy conditions in western Nevada, just south of Reno.
The National Weather Service issued warnings for most of Nevada and parts of Southern California, indicating that large swaths of the landscape were primed to burn. In Southern California, the Bridge Fire expanded from about 4,000 acres to more than 34,000 acres, and San Bernardino County said homes were lost.
The fires are adding to what has already been a busy season for firefighters in the western U.S., with nearly 7 million acres burned, more than double the area burned last year. More than 24,000 firefighters were on the job Tuesday.
California fire threatens 65,000 buildings
Containment of the Line fire, which is burning in the foothills of the San Bernardino National Forest and threatening more than 65,000 homes and other buildings, grew 14% on Tuesday.
But its size grew, reaching about 32,905 acres by Tuesday evening, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) said.
The fire, which started Thursday night east of Los Angeles, prompted evacuation orders in an area with 9,200 buildings, most of them residential, said Arnold Menjivar, a fire department information officer.
Menjivar said the fire was closest to homes in Running Spring, a gateway to Big Bear Lake and the Bear Mountain ski area.
“It’s very close,” Menjivar said, adding that firefighters had an aggressive attack strategy but were concerned about the winds blowing through the canyons. “We have very complex terrain here.”
The Line Fire created its own weather system Saturday, with thunderstorm-like pyrocumulus clouds, or fire clouds. They form when fires are so intense that they generate their own weather patterns. The clouds have been responsible for at least 280 lightning strikes that hit the ground, the National Weather Service said.
Pyrocumulus clouds have also been observed around two other large fires in Southern California: the Airport Fire in Orange County and the Bridge Fire in the Angeles National Forest.
Temperatures have soared to over 10 degrees in Southern California during a heat wave. Warnings were in place Tuesday due to the Line Fire, but lower temperatures are expected Wednesday.
According to CalFire, that lighting could “moderate fire activity and increase fuel moisture.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency over the Line Fire on Saturday. On Monday, fire officials said the California National Guard would deploy four Blackhawk helicopters and other aircraft to assist with modular aerial firefighting systems, as well as 80 troops. Nearly 2,100 firefighters responded to the blaze.
Evacuation orders are in effect for eastern parts of Highland, California, a suburb of San Bernardino, and several hill towns along the roads leading to Big Bear Lake. The Bear Valley Unified and Redlands Unified school districts closed schools Monday and Tuesday because of the fire.
More fires in Southern California
The hot, dry weather has also sparked fires in other communities in the Southern California hills, forcing even more people to evacuate.
The Airport Fire started Monday afternoon as a 7-acre wildfire in Orange County’s Trabuco Canyon, south of Los Angeles. Within hours, it had exploded to an estimated 5,400 acres, the OC Fire Authority said. By Tuesday morning, it was 9,000 acres, the fire department said on X.
The fire was initially reported to an airfield used by hobbyists for remote-controlled aircraft. On its website, a local flying club called Trabuco Flyers said no remote-controlled aircraft were flying when the fire started.
The fire prompted mandatory evacuations in the communities of Robinson Ranch and Trabuco Highlands, and evacuation warnings in nearby communities.
Meanwhile, the bridge fire that started Saturday in the Angeles National Forest, east of Los Angeles, grew from just under 4,000 acres at 11 a.m. Tuesday morning to 34,240 acres Tuesday night, officials said.
“Tragically, homes have been lost,” San Bernardino County officials said on Facebook Tuesday night.
The fire is 0% under control and its cause is being investigated.
An evacuation order is in effect for residents north of the San Antonio Dam to Mount Baldy Resort, and other communities. Wrightwood was also under a mandatory evacuation order Tuesday night.
“There has been a significant increase in wildfire activity throughout the day,” Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said at a briefing Tuesday night.
The fire has affected Mount Baldy and the community of Wrightwood, he said. Video shared online by the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District showed firefighters rushing to perform rescue operations in the community of about 4,700 people.
The three wildfires raging simultaneously in Southern California — the Line Fire, the Bridge Fire and the Airport Fire in Orange County — are putting a strain on firefighters and are calling for help from Northern California and neighboring states, Marrone said.
“We urge anyone who has an evacuation order to leave now,” Marrone said during the 7 p.m. PT briefing. Those who have an evacuation warning should prepare to leave “at any time,” he said.
Dangerous conditions in the Sierra Nevada foothills
Gusty winds and dry conditions put firefighters on high alert near Reno, Nevada, where the Davis Fire had scorched nearly 5,600 acres. The blaze was 0% contained, according to a status update Tuesday.
The fire started Saturday around Davis Creek Regional Park, just south of Reno, and burned heavy timber and brush. It has affected at least 14 buildings, caused road closures and forced evacuations for 12,000 to 14,000 people.
More than 400 people are working on the fire. The El Dorado County Fire Protection District shared videos on social media of fierce flames burning on forested mountains and thick plumes of smoke filling the air.
Actor Jeremy Renner was among the many locals affected by the Davis fire. On Sunday, he shared an Instagram story showing a huge plume of smoke billowing from the mountains, People magazine reported. He shared more photos Tuesday of firefighters at work and planes dropping pink fire retardant.
Tuesday is the last day of high temperatures in the areas where the most concerning fires are raging in Nevada and Southern California.
A cooling current from the Pacific Ocean is expected to drop temperatures in Southern California by 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit on Wednesday.
A cold front is also expected to hit the Reno area on Wednesday, but that’s not necessarily good news for the fires as it could amplify the winds.
According to a National Weather Service forecast, wind gusts could reach 50 mph (80 km/h) on mountaintops in wind-prone areas.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com