Giant plumes of smoke dot Southern California skies as crews fight several major wildfires

Several days of triple-digit temperatures have stoked a wildfire in Southern California that burned so hot it created its own thunderstorm-like weather systems. But firefighters are hoping to gain the upper hand as cooler weather is expected to move into the area after Tuesday. The Line Fire has threatened thousands of homes and commercial structures as it burns along the edge of the San Bernardino National Forest just east of Los Angeles. Firefighters have been working in steep terrain in temperatures above 100 degrees. Wildfires are burning across the West, including in Idaho, Oregon and Nevada. About 20,000 people have had to flee a fire burning outside Reno.