A massive wildfire that has already burned about 17,000 acres in Southern California has officials concerned, issuing an evacuation notice for thousands of San Bernardino County residents Sunday, saying it now poses an “immediate threat to life” for people living nearby.
The Sheriff’s Office issued an evacuation notice for residents in the area about 60 miles (100 kilometers) east of Los Angeles in a statement. More than 35,000 structures were threatened Sunday, authorities said.
The California Department of Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said on its website that the San Bernardino fire is currently out of control. Since September 5, the flames have burned 17,459 acres (7,041 hectares).
Cal Fire also reported that three firefighters were injured while battling the flames. A total of 650 firefighters were deployed to the municipality.
Authorities said an evacuation notice remained in effect for residents in the area. The winds and dry vegetation are particularly worrying for the Department of Agriculture, which is responsible for the San Bernardino forest, which expressed its concerns on the social network Facebook.
Cal Fire said there were 14 active wildfires burning across the state of California on Sunday.
