Images taken from space show vast plumes of smoke billowing from the wildfires burning on the outskirts of Los Angeles, filling the air with particulate pollution.

The Line Fire in San Bernardino County threw out so much smoke and heat that it generated “fire clouds”—also known as pyrocumulus or flammagenitus—in the sky above it, which were snapped from space.

The smoke from this fire, as well as from the Bridge Fire and Airport Fire nearby, have wreaked havoc on the air quality between the eastern edge of L.A. and the Coachella Valley, sparking warnings for residents to stay indoors.

Pyrocumulus clouds are formed when extreme heat rises into the atmosphere, often from a wildfire or volcanic eruption. The intense heat causes the air near the ground to rise rapidly, eventually cooling and condensing into water droplets, forming a towering cumulus cloud.

In the case of wildfires or volcanic eruptions, pyrocumulus clouds often contain large amounts of ash, soot, and other particles that are lofted into the air along with the water vapor, giving the cloud a dark, dirty appearance.

These images of the fire clouds rising above the Line Fire were captured from space by the OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8.

On Tuesday, the smoke from this fire and the others burning nearby caused “Moderate to Unhealthy” Air Quality Index (AQI) levels in Palm Springs and Indio.

“Windblown dust will add to the current smoke pollution and is expected to cause Air Quality Index (AQI) values to reach Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups or worse in the Coachella Valley and Banning pass between Tuesday evening and Thursday morning,” the South Coast AQMD said in a statement.

The South Coast AQMD warns residents to “limit your exposure by remaining indoors with windows and doors closed or seeking alternate shelter,” avoid physical activity and use AC or air purifiers.

The AQI is calculated based on several key air pollutants regulated by health standards, including PM10 and PM2.5 particulate matter, ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. At “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” levels, members of sensitive groups —like children, the elderly, and people with respiratory or heart conditions—may experience health effects.

The Line Fire, which started near Highland on September 5, has now burned 34,659 acres as of about 7 a.m. local time on September 11 and is only about 14 percent contained. Over 65,600 structures are at risk from the blaze, and several neighborhoods have Evacuation Orders and Evacuation Warnings in place. The smoke from other nearby fires has actually helped slow the spread of the blaze.

“In the overnight hours of the Line Fire Wednesday, fire activity was moderated due to smoke shading and cooler weather. However, the fire grew on the north and east sides due to slope and vegetation driven runs,” Cal Fire said in a report this morning.

“Today elevated winds and continued dry conditions will allow the fire to grow. Smoke from fires across the region will help moderate fire activity unless the skies clear and the smoke thins. That would allow for more slope and vegetation aligned runs. There are 3,179 personnel assigned to the fire. Limited resource availability continues to hamper control efforts.”

To the west of the Line Fire, just north of Glendora, is the Bridge Fire. Burning across both Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties, this blaze is 47,904 acres in area and 0 percent contained.

“Excessive heat and Red Flag Warning until Wednesday afternoon due to hot, dry, and unstable conditions with gusty onshore winds. Winds will shift to the west and northwest on Wednesday, which may impact higher elevation areas. Temperatures will remain high, however humidity will improve and increase slightly. Large vertical plume growth and visible smoke columns will be expected again for this fire,” an Inciweb update said.

To the south of both of these fires, near Trabuco Canyon, the Airport Fire has grown from 5,432 acres on Tuesday to 22,376 acres as of Wednesday morning. This fire is also 0 percent contained.

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A suspected California arsonist was arrested days after he allegedly started the San Bernardino Line Fire, which has burned across thousands of acres of forest, east of Los Angeles.

Justin Wayne Halstenberg was charged on Tuesday following a San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department investigation into the wildfire that burned over 34,000 acres since it first sparked last week.

“Highland Station detectives, in collaboration with Cal Fire investigators, identified Justin Wayne Halstenberg as the suspect who started a fire in the area of Baseline Road and Alpin Street in the city of Highland, also known as the Line Fire, on September 5, 2024,” the sheriff’s office said.

The 34-year-old suspect was slapped with Arson of an inhabited structure, Arson of forest land and Possession of flammable material DVC Arson, jail records viewed by The Post showed.

He is being held at San Bernardino’s Central Detention Center on a $80,000 bail.

Police did not reveal how Halstenberg allegedly started the inferno.

He is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 12 at 12:30 p.m.

The Line Fire started around 6:33 p.m. on Sept. 5 and has destroyed 34,289 acres inside the San Bernardino National Forest. The blaze is only 14 percent contained as of Wednesday morning, according to the California Fire website.

Residents along the southern edge of Big Bear Lake were told to leave the area, a popular destination for anglers, bikers and hikers.

The blaze had charred more than 51 square miles of grass and brush and blanketed the area with a thick cloud of dark smoke.

The acrid air prompted several districts in the area to close schools through the end of the week because of safety concerns.

Three firefighters have been injured since the blaze was reported Thursday, state fire managers said.

Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued for areas north and east of the fire including popular ski town Bear Bear.

Evacuation warnings were given to the communities directly south of the national forest which included parts of the city of Highland.

Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Saturday and deployed the National Guard to assist in the evacuations.

Over 2,800 personnel have been allocated to fighting the fire as 65,600 structures are threatened.

Wildfires have broken out across the Golden State sprung to life during a triple-digit heat wave that finally broke Wednesday.

Officials hope cooler temperatures expected for later in the week will moderate the fire activity.

Just over 30 miles west on the San Bernardino-Los Angeles County line, the Bridge Fire has burned 46,727 acres.

The intercounty blaze started on Sept. 8 and has

With Post wires

NATOMAS, Calif. – A Northern California family encountered a disturbing scene that police are now investigating as a hate crime.

The family found a severed pig’s head on the doorstep of their Natomas home on Naponee Court on Monday morning, according to the KCRA.

“It’s kind of like intimidating, disturbing, and a bit frightening as well,” said the homeowner, who wished to remain anonymous.

Surveillance footage from the home showed a person wearing a hooded sweatshirt, leaving the pig’s head on the porch shortly before 10:30 p.m. on Sunday.

“The head was positioned pointing to the door, and it had a nail on its nose, with what looked like blood all over it,” the homeowner explained to KCRA.

The couple was preparing to leave for work when they made the grisly find. They called the police who arrived at the home and took photographs of the scene.

“I don’t know why somebody would do that,” the man said. He also questioned the perpetrator’s intent, saying, “Why would somebody take so much time in the middle of the night to go ahead and do this? To what end? And what was the purpose of it?”

The family has lived at the home for nearly years and has never experienced such a crime.

Neighbors stopped by on Monday to console the family after learning about what happened.

The homeowner urged the community to remain watchful, saying, “be vigilant because today it’s me. Tomorrow, it could be anybody. And if you see something, please report it.”

As the investigation continues, the family and authorities are urging witnesses or people with information on the incident to come forward.