A rapidly growing wildfire in Los Angeles County prompted evacuation orders Friday afternoon in a remote high desert region about 45 miles northeast of Los Angeles. The brush fire ignited around 1 p.m. under dry and scorching hot conditions, with temperatures nearing 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius). By evening, the blaze had consumed between 2,200 and 2,700 acres, according to conflicting reports from Angeles National Forest officials and the LA County Fire Department. The exact number of buildings threatened remains unclear.
The nearest town to the east, Piñon Hills in San Bernardino County, a community of about 7,200 people, faced evacuation warnings by Friday evening. The American Red Cross opened a shelter at a YMCA in Los Angeles County to accommodate displaced residents.
The fire’s rapid spread coincides with a widespread heat wave affecting much of the U.S., driven by an unusually strong and long-lasting heat dome. Temperatures are expected to be 15 to 25 degrees Fahrenheit (8 to 14 degrees Celsius) warmer than normal in some areas, exacerbating wildfire risks in drought-stricken regions.