California wildfires still minimally contained as high temperatures persist

Firefighters in California continue to battle three separate blazes in the southern part of the state, working to establish containment amid high temperatures and thick fuels that are feeding the flames.

The Line Fire is burning through dense vegetation that grew after two back-to-back wet winters that included snowstorms that caused tree branches to break, leaving behind a lot of “dead and down fuel,” said Cal Fire Operations Section Chief Jed Gaines. While it forced the evacuations from Running Springs, another wildfire threatened the mountain community of Wrightwood about a 50-mile drive to the west.

The fires have threatened tens of thousands of homes and other structures across Southern California since they escalated during a triple-digit heat wave over the weekend. Cooler weather was helping firefighters slowly gain the upper hand in battling the blazes. No deaths have been reported, but at least a dozen people, mainly firefighters, have been treated for injuries, mostly heat-related, authorities said.

RELATED STORY | Cool weather forecast offers hope in battling intense Southern California blaze

Jason Anderson, district attorney for San Bernardino County, said Thursday that nine arson-related charges have been filed against the suspect arrested earlier in the week and accused of starting the Line Fire. Anderson said he finds arson especially “despicable” because the suspect gains nothing and families are thrown into despair running from their homes.

“This is particularly galling in a community that unfortunately over the last couple of years has dealt with the scourge of wildfires,” he told reporters, adding that the suspect’s vehicle has been linked to three areas where fires were started.

The suspect is due to be arraigned in court on Friday.

The full extent of the damage caused by the wildfires remains unclear. The three blazes are:

— The Airport Fire in Orange County, which has burned more than 36 square miles. The fire was 5% contained Thursday morning and was reportedly sparked by workers using heavy equipment in the area. Ten firefighters and two residents suffered injuries in the blaze, according to the Orange County Fire Authority. The fire has been difficult to tame because of the steep terrain and dry conditions — and because some areas hadn’t burned in decades.

— The Line Fire in the San Bernardino National Forest, which was 18% contained Thursday and has threatened more than 65,000 homes. The blaze has injured three firefighters.

— The Bridge Fire east of Los Angeles, which grew tenfold in a day and has burned 80 square miles, torched at least 33 homes and six cabins and forced the evacuation of 10,000 people. The cause of the fire is not yet known. It remained zero percent contained Thursday.

In northern Nevada, about 8,600 people remained under evacuation orders on the south edge of Reno, where the Davis Fire has destroyed 14 structures and burned nearly 9 square miles of timber and brush since it broke out over the weekend. More than 600 firefighters kept the blaze from growing Wednesday despite high winds. The fire was 37% contained on Thursday.