HEAT, SPEED AND LIGHTENING, FIRE OFFICIALS ARE FOCUSED ON SAVING LIVES FIRST AND THEN HOMES. THIS MORNING, THOUSANDS FORCED TO EVACUATE THEIR HOMES AS THE LINE FIRE IN THE SAN BERNARDINO NATIONAL FOREST SPREADS. THREATENING 35,000 HOMES AND BUILDINGS. >> IT STARTED GETTING THICK IN THE AIR. WE STARTED SEEING CHUNKS OF BARK AND THINGS THAT WERE FLYING AND NEVER BEEN BURNED. AT THAT POINT, WE DECIDED THIS IS NOT A GOOD PLACE TO BE. >> THE AREA LOCATED IN THE MOUNTAINS 60 MILES EAST OF LOS ANGELES HAS BEEN DEALING WITH THE SWELTERING HEAT RECENTLY WITH RECORD BREAKING TEMPERATURES IN THE TRIPLE DIGITS. THUNDERSTORMS BRINGING GUSTY WINDS AND LIGHTENING. YOU CAN HEAR THE THUNDER NEARBY. LIGHTENING WITH SPARK A NEW FIRE AT ANY MOMENT. >> THAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH THIS FIRE, IS WE CAN'T PREDICT WHERE IT'S GOING TO GO NEXT. >> Reporter: GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM DECLARING A STATE OF EMERGENCY SUNDAY, FREEING UP FUNDS TO BRING IN CRITICAL RESOURCES. MEANWHILE, A NEW BLAZE IN NORTH AMERICA IS SPREADING CRITICALLY, FORCING THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TO EVACUATE. NOW FIREFIGHTERS STATEWIDE HOPING A BREAK IN THE WEATHER WILL HELP THEM GET THE UPPER HAND. THE SERING HEAT WAVE IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH TODAY. BUT COOLER TEMPERATURES EXPECTED TOMORROW, WHICH COULD HELP WITH THIS FIRE FIGHTING EFFORT. SAVANNAH? >> DANA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>> AL IS HERE WITH THE TROUBLE IN THE TROPICS. >> HI, GUYS. GOOD MORNING. HAPPY MONDAY. UNFORTUNATELY NOT SO MUCH FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. THAT LINE FIRE ZERO PERCENT CONTAINED. EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY IT. RIGHT NOW 70 LARGE FIRES BURNING ACROSS 11 STATES. ACTIVELY MORE THAN TWO MILLION ACRES INVOLVED. WE HAVE 25 MILLION PEOPLE UNDER HEAT ADVISORY WARNINGS, FIRE WEATHER WATCHES AND RED FLAG WARNINGS FOR THE WESTERN THIRD OF THE COUNTRY. THEN WE GET DOWN TO THE GULF. IF IT BECOMES A STORM, IT IS GOING TO BE FRANCINE. RIGHT NOW 295 MILES SOUTHEAST, THE MOUTH OF THE RIO GRANDE. 50 MILES AN HOUR WINDS. THE WATER IN THE GULF OF MEXICO RIGHT NOW AT RECORD HIGHS. SO THERE IS A 50% CHANCE THIS WILL RAPIDLY INTENSIFY. IT STAYS OFF THE COAST, BUT BRINGING DAMAGING WINDS AND A BIG STORM SURGE BY STORM NIGHT. LOOKING LIKE IT MAKES LAND FALL SUNDAY EVENING BETWEEN LAKE CHARLES AND NEW ORLEANS. THIS IS SUCH A WIDE