Lightning could worsen wildfire east of L.A. already threatening 35,000 homes and buildings

HIGHLAND, Calif. — An out-of-control wildfire in the foothills of a national forest east of Los Angeles threatened tens of thousands of buildings and forced hundreds of residents to flee Sunday amid a dayslong heat wave of triple-digit temperatures.

The so-called Line Fire was burning along the edge of the San Bernardino National Forest, about 65 miles east of Los Angeles. As of Sunday morning, the blaze had charred about 27 square miles of grass and chaparral, leaving a thick cloud of dark smoke blanketing the area.