A late-summer heat wave in Southern California turned dangerous overnight Friday into Saturday as lightning and thunderstorms swept through the region. The National Weather Service recorded over 1,300 lightning strikes by mid-afternoon, igniting multiple fires in areas such as the Angeles National Forest.
Riverside County experienced 661 lightning strikes, with 266 hitting the ground. Southwest San Bernardino County recorded 292 strikes, with 106 cloud-to-ground, while Orange County had 174 strikes, with only four reaching the ground. Los Angeles County saw 231 strikes, with 104 cloud-to-ground.
According to Daily News, forest officials reported fires in locations including southwest of Little Rock, near Table Mountain, and an area of Sunset Peak west of Mt. Baldy. In Riverside County, firefighters battled the Vail fire, which burned at least 55 acres near Vail Lake Dam. The fire was 25% contained by Saturday evening.
In Orange County, firefighters quickly contained a small vegetation fire in Trabuco Canyon. The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for fire danger in the foothills of Los Angeles County until at least 9 p.m. Saturday, with elevated fire conditions expected through Monday night.
Extreme heat warnings were also in place for various areas, including the Santa Clarita Valley and San Gabriel Mountains, with temperatures potentially exceeding 100 degrees. The weather service warned that the threat of storms, including strong winds and occasional dry lightning, would persist through Tuesday, especially in mountain and desert areas.
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