Heat wave spawns wild weather

As inland areas of Southern California sweltered for a third straight day Wednesday, powerful lightning storms sparked brush fires, caused flash flooding and knocked down power lines that trapped bus passengers in Riverside County.

The wild weather came as excessive heat warnings were issued and high surf pounded the coast from Ventura to San Diego. By Wednesday afternoon, the temperature was 109 in Woodland Hills, 107 in Lancaster and 90 in downtown Los Angeles, the National Weather Service said. The 107 reading in Lancaster broke a record for the day set in 1985.

In Orange County, temperatures ranged from 76 in Dana Point to 96 in Santa Ana and 98 in Yorba Linda, the weather service said. In the Inland Empire, the temperature was 108 in Ontario, 111 in Chino and 113 in Hemet, according to the weather service. The Ontario high broke a record for the day of 107 set in 1981, the weather service said.

In southwest Riverside County, a strong lightning storm knocked down power lines, briefly trapping 11 passengers inside a bus in Lake Elsinore. The storm also ignited at least five small brush fires, authorities said.

Power lines fell on a Riverside Transit Agency bus at 3 p.m., stranding the passengers and driver for nearly 90 minutes as they waited for rescue crews to cut the lines, said Riverside County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Sgt. Joe Borja.

“The bus driver did the absolute right thing by stopping the bus and calling police and fire,” Borja said.

The passengers and bus driver were safely evacuated about 4:30 p.m.

Riverside Transit Agency spokesman Bradley Weaver said the Route 7 bus has a passenger compartment made of non-conductive fiberglass, shielding those inside from potential harm from the power lines.

The storm cells hit after 1 p.m., starting with heavy downpours and then delivering dry lightning, said Cheri Patterson of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection in Riverside County.

A lightning strike in Menifee started a 3-acre brush fire that, for a time, threatened homes. Fire crews and air tankers quickly attacked the blaze, allowing firefighters to gain the upper hand by the late afternoon, Patterson said.

Lightning and erratic winds also were blamed for igniting four fires in the Temecula and Sage areas, one growing to 35 acres. By Wednesday afternoon, fire crews had the blazes either contained or largely under control, according to the state forestry department.

Minor flooding also was reported in the Wrightwood area, where rocks and mud flowed onto several roads but caused no damage, officials said.

In Kern County, lightning was blamed for three small brush fires that erupted Wednesday afternoon near Tehachapi, officials said. One burned several outbuildings as fire crews worked to cut lines around the fire’s perimeter and an air tanker dropped retardant.

The weather service said the heat would continue Thursday before temperatures begin dropping below the seasonal normal by the weekend and into early next week.

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phil.willon@latimes.com

robert.lopez@latimes.com

Times staff writer Abby Sewell contributed to this report.