The Line Fire was reported on September 5, 2024, just after 6:00 PM north of the City of Highland. Fueled by dry grass, chaparral, and timber, the wildfire quickly spread across steep and rugged terrain with no recent burn history. Within days, the fire consumed 43,978 acres. Unified command was established with the San Bernardino National Forest, CAL FIRE San Bernardino-Inyo-Mono Unit, San Bernardino County Fire, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, and the City of Highland. Resources included multiple air tankers, helicopters, and strike teams on the ground. At its height, more than 250 personnel were assigned to the incident.
Despite the fire’s size and complexity, quick coordination limited evacuations to precautionary warnings for Seven Oaks and Angelus Oaks, which were later lifted. Highway 38 reopened to traffic as response efforts progressed, though Highway 330 remained closed due to guardrail damage and ongoing repairs. The San Bernardino National Forest issued a closure order for all public lands, trails, and roads within the burn area to support firefighter safety and post-fire recovery. The community was kept informed through daily incident maps, operational videos, and real-time evacuation updates.
The fire reached full containment on October 25, 2024. A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team was activated to assess post-fire impacts and develop a recovery plan. Even after the flames were controlled, interior pockets of heat and limited access continued to pose challenges. The Line Fire demonstrated the importance of interagency coordination, public communication, and proactive forest closures to protect both communities and responding crews. Its long duration and size also reinforced the ongoing threat of late-season wildfires in San Bernardino County.
Videos
Watch the rapid movement of the Line Fire in San Bernardino County as it passes the ALERTCalifornia Keller Peak 1 camera on September 10, 2024. This time-lapse
Incident Updates
Incident Cooperators
San Bernardino County Fire
San Bernardino County Sheriff
California Highway Patrol
Angeles National Forest
Links
San Bernardino National Forest
https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/cabdf-vista-fire
CAL FIRE
https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2024/7/7/vista-fire
