Wildfire in San Bernardino Engulfs Homes, Prompts Urgent Evacuations

In a matter of hours, the Edgehill Fire in San Bernardino, Southern California, rapidly engulfed homes, leaving residents scrambling to evacuate. The intense heat wave gripping the region only fueled the fire’s swift advance.

On Monday afternoon, a fast-moving wildfire tore through the city of San Bernardino, destroying homes and prompting urgent evacuations. The Edgehill Fire ignited on Little Mountain around 2:40 p.m. and by 4:53 p.m., it had scorched approximately 100 acres, according to KTLA-TV. The station aired live footage as the flames consumed homes, with residents fleeing the area.

The San Bernardino County Fire Department issued evacuation orders for homes on the south side of Little Mountain, a community located about an hour east of Los Angeles. Fire department spokesperson Eric Sherwin noted that the residents of Little Mountain are no strangers to the threat of wildfires. “As engines were pulling up, people were already evacuating out of this area,” he told KTLA.

Temperatures in San Bernardino reached a scorching 109°F, with the heat expected to remain above 100 degrees until after 7 p.m., according to Accuweather. The National Weather Service has placed the area under an excessive heat warning until Tuesday night.

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Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the fire, which is the latest in a series of wildfires plaguing the western United States.

Meanwhile, in Northern California, the Park Fire continues to rage, now ranking as the fourth largest wildfire in the state’s history. As of Monday morning, the fire had burned over 400,000 acres, destroyed 640 structures, and was only 34% contained, as reported by the Redding Record Searchlight.

In the Pacific Northwest, more than 30 major fires are burning, including one near Durkee, Oregon, which has scorched around 460,000 acres. The Pioneer Fire in Washington has been burning for nearly two months.

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In Oregon, the fires have put over 9,000 people under evacuation warnings, with 1,747 residents under a level three notice, advising them to leave immediately, according to the Oregon Office of Emergency Management.