Green box--hope for the future, yellow box-- harvest for the present.
(Laura Bush and I celebrate ours on Tuesday!)
Posted on 11/02/2003 7:04:53 AM PST by First_Salute
San Bernardino Joint Information CenterThis site is the official source for information about fires in the San Bernardino National Forest. You may also call us at the following numbers: 909-383-5688.
This site primarily focuses on the Grand Prix and Old Fires. We also provide some information for the fires in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Ventura Counties.
Evacuations status and updatesEmergency voting setup for Nov. 4th
F.E.M.A. assistance
Firefighter injuries
Arson Tip Hotline: 866-346-7632
Disaster Assistance Hotline: 1-800-621-3362 or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the speech and hearing impaired.
Download fire perimeter maps
Road closures
Recent Updates featuring: Old Fire updates - School closure updates - Area Re-Entry Procedures - Power Information from Southern California Edison - Cedar Fire page - Property Damage Assessment - Donation Information - Demographic reports - Photos - Padua Fire page - New Wildfire Smoke Guide
Green box--hope for the future, yellow box-- harvest for the present.
(Laura Bush and I celebrate ours on Tuesday!)
Article Published: Saturday, February 22, 2003 - 5:23:44 PMBe prepared, agencies advise Forest public safety crews make battle, evacuation plans
By ANDREW SILVA, Staff Writer
Smoke will sting your eyes and burn your throat. The panic wafting among the bumper-to-bumper line of cars will be palpable. The pulsing blue and red lights of fire trucks and police cars will accentuate the surreal and disorienting chaos. At that moment, a life or death question could be: Turn right or left?
Thousands of standing dead pine trees, killed by a combination of drought and bark beetles, have created the potential for a swift and deadly inferno in the San Bernardino National Forest.
Should such a blaze erupt, how will officials get people off the mountains, through the twisted maze of narrow mountain roads, which often loop back on themselves or come to a dead end?
"Getting a lot of people out of a small community on narrow roads is a big deal,' said county fire Division Chief Thom Wellman.
County Fire Marshal Peter Brierty demonstrated the evacuation dilemma during a recent tour of areas around Lake Arrowhead that have been hardest hit by the expanding swaths of dead trees.
Which way? At an intersection just outside Lake Arrowhead, he pointed to his left.
"If the fire is over there,' he said, "which way do you go?' Going right, seemingly away from the fire, would send a fleeing motorist looping around back into harm's way, he said.
It seems counter-intuitive, but on that particular street, he said, the correct answer would be to go left toward the fire, which would take you to a major road and a likely escape route.
Officials are encouraging mountain residents to drive around their neighborhoods now to learn where the streets lead and to become familiar with alternate routes to the major mountain highways.
"People have to know how to get the heck out,' said Capt. John Hernandez of the sheriff's Twin Peaks station.
Although mountain residents may have to rely on their own sense of direction in the early part of a fire, officials do have a plan for evacuation. Few major roads With only a handful of roads off the mountains Highway 18, Highway 38, Highway 330 and Highway 138 officials will have the conflicting task of getting civilians down the mountain while trying to get emergency crews up.
I know. It stretches the imagination. The cretin belongs in the "looter, subhuman" category.
It happened at the Mojave Narrows, and parking is not right beside the camp. And I found, in my mild experience with being evacuated, that you are disoriented and rather numb. The cretins knew that our cars were packed full of our most valuable possessions so smash-and-grab would be worthwhile to them. But the GOODNESS of people was overwhelming.
No Candles Here for a SPECIAL LADY! Happy Birthday, lainie!
No more fire threads? woo hoo!!
What's this I hear about a get together at your house?
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (AP) - As wildfires grew to epic proportions along Southern California's mountain crests, so did a network of displaced residents hungry for detailed information about their homes, friends and family.Many turned to the tools of technology and found community through Internet message boards, e-mails and online emergency scanner traffic.
Fire victims say they grew weary of breathless television reports that provided little information about their specific homes, streets and neighbors. Networking online and milking authorities in the mountains for details gave them crucial "locals only" information that they quickly passed on.
"It gave the village a set of drums to get the message out," says Gary Stebbings, a project manager for Russell Crane Builders and a resident of Lake Arrowhead... [snip]
Full containment of California wildfires near; two new deaths --- by Brian Skoloff, Sacramento Bee, Nov. 3, 2003 --- posted at Free Republic, Nov. 3, 2003, by NormsRevenge :
BIG BEAR, Calif. (AP) - Firefighters doused hotspots and watched for new ones Monday as persistent damp weather brought Southern California's vast wildfires to near full containment.The positive developments were tempered by a rise in the death toll to 22 as San Bernardino County authorities added two more suspected heart-attack fatalities, and thousands of people remained displaced by the fires ... [snip]
"The weather continues to be healthy for us," said Andrea Tuttle, director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, in a conference call with reporters.
All fires were expected to be surrounded by Tuesday, if not as early as Monday evening, Tuttle said ... [snip]
"Our forests are detonating like napalm bombs. We need to remove dead and dying bug-killed timber," said Rep. Wally Herger, R-Calif.Is this Monday-morning quarterbacking spurred by the wildfires now raging in California? Hardly.
Rep. Herger uttered those words in August 1994 as part of his demand that Congress declare a state of emergency in federal forests to permit quick removal of dead trees, fallen branches and other debris that fuel wildfires -- like those that burned 3 million Western acres and killed 14 firefighters that year.
A spokesman for the Natural Resources Defense Council (search) responded at the time by calling Rep. Herger's demand "a pretext for accelerated logging in the Sierra Nevada."
Nine years later, though, Rep. Herger's demand is looking pretty prescient ... [snip]
In forests that have only tens of trees per acre, flames tend to stay close to the ground. But in crowded forests with hundreds and thousands of trees per acre, like we have today, the flames can easily move across tree tops. "Flames are 90 feet tall instead of 3 feet tall," according to the University of Idaho forestry expert Dr. Leon Neuenschwander ... [snip]
The voluntary evacuation has been lifted for the Big Bear Valley.Second home owners, visitors and vendors will be allowed into Big Bear.
EVACUATION ORDERS HAVE BEEN DOWNGRADED TO VOLUNTARY FOR THE COMMUNITIES OF LAKE ARROWHEAD, RUNNING SPRINGS, BLUE JAY, CRESTLINE AND SURROUNDING AREAS. NO MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES ARE UNDER MANDATORY EVACUATION.
Remember, these residents will be returning through the Big Bear Valley, and we should show them every courtesy possible. They've been displaced much longer than we have. Another bit of good news is that the Lake Arrowhead Stater Bros. will reopen its doors as of 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 4.
Road information:
- Highway 38 is open.
- Highway 18 is open from Lucerne Valley to Big Bear.
- Highway 18 is closed at the Big Bear Dam to 40th Street in San Bernardino
- Highway 330 is closed to all traffic.
- If you are planning to return to Big Bear please drive carefully.
Local elections in the Big Bear Valley will take place as scheduled on November 4th. Please check your sample ballot for your polling place. Other mountain communities should check below for your voting procedures. These sites will be on election day from 7AM to 8PM. Additional sites will be added as needed.
- Registrar of Voters, 777 East Rialto Ave. San Bernardino
- Jesse Turner Community Center, 6396 Citrus Ave. Fontana
- Hesperia High School, 9898 Maple Ave. Hesperia
- Victorville City Hall, 14343 Civic Drive, Victorville
There will be a Big Bear community meeting at the Performing Arts Center on Tuesday November 4, 2003 from 7:00 to 8:00 PM. The topics to be discussed will be what happened while you were gone, along with appreciation and thanks that the community was spared. There will be a short question and answer session. Presentations will include information on the fire progression, local resources activated and fire contingency lines completed. Speakers will include local elected officials, fire chiefs, National Fire Team members and USFS Mountaintop district ranger. For more information call the Big Bear City Department at 909-585-2362.
All post offices in Big Bear are open for regular business and all the local Big Bear mail is in the valley. The mail is piling up so please pick up yours as soon as possible.
The Bear Valley Unified School District will begin classes again on Tuesday November 4. You can call the information line for more information 866-4631, ext. 201. Rainbow Kids will be open at Big Bear Elementary School and Baldwin Lane from 7am to 6pm on Tuesday with their regular schedule.
Here is the latest information that we have on the Old Fire
- Current size of fire: 91,281 acres
- 83% Containment
- Estimated date for full containment: 11/08/03 or sooner
- 4,133 total personnel
- 6 injuries
- 4 deaths
- 976 homes destroyed 35 homes damaged 10 commercial properties destroyed.
Fire officials consider the Lake Arrowhead an area to watch. The strategy for today is to continue structure protection, direct attack, perimeter line construction and mop up. There will be small flare-ups and smoldering within the perimeter.
As of 9:00 AM this morning the Big Bear City Airport is open for all operations. The Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is now from the Big Bear Dam west.
The potential fire danger as of this morning is now below normal for this time of year. The fire potential is a component of humidity, moisture in and on fuel, temperature and winds. When the fire began the fire potential was as high as the highest average recorded for this time of year.
According to the Incident Command Center in Big Bear there is no reason to believe that the fire will move to Big Bear Valley. The fire fighting objectives are:
1. Keeping the fire south of the desert communities.
2. Keeping the fire west of the Santa Ana River, Angeles Oaks,
Bear Creek and containing the fire north of Coyote Flats.
3. Keeping fire fighters, aviation and the public safe.
4. Protecting for the communities
5. Providing information to the public.
6. Preventing damage to natural resources.As of 6:00 AM this morning at these objectives were being met.
Most stores and businesses should be open today or very soon
The Gas company has said if anyone needs assistance with their gas service please call, service teams are standing by, and the number is 800-530-3424.
The Department of Water is asking to please make sure that you have turned off all your outdoor irrigation such as sprinklers and winterize them.
You could be covered by your homeowners insurance for expenses related to a mandatory evacuation. Check your policy or call your agent to confirm your coverage.
EVACUATION SITES STATUS
- Victor Valley College, 18422 Bear Valley Road, Victorville
- Apple Valley High School, 11837 Navajo Road, Apple Valley
- Hesperia High School, 9898 Maple Ave., Hesperia
- San Bernardino International Airport - 2 Hangers
- Sultana High School, 17311 Sultana, Hesperia
According to local the local Sheriffs authorities there has been no looting in the Big Bear Valley. During the mandatory evacuation were as many as 76 patrol units on the street at any given time which was 72 more than normal.
There is a $110,000.00 reward for the capture of the arsonist who set the fire. Anyone with information is urged to contact Sgt. Bobby Dean with the Sheriff's Department Homicide Detail at (909) 387-3589 or toll-free at 1-866-346-7632.
There are many heroes that have emerged from this incident. By far the largest group which made possibly one of the biggest impacts were the residents and visitors who had evacuation plans and exercised them. The bulldozer crews cut fire lines in the Santa Ana canyon and with firefighters were able to slow the fire which kept highway 38 open.
If the fire had jumped the fire lines today's story might be different. By Tuesday night 15,000 to 20,000 people evacuated calmly and without incident. On Wednesday 50-MPH winds raced through the fire lines and into Big Bear. It looked like mother nature was determined to push the fire in to the valley. Then Thursday morning the anticipated weather change brought high winds and with them cold temperatures, high humidity, drizzle and then snow.
This is the latest information we have on the Old Fire. Keep it tuned to KBHR, 93.3 for updates at the top of every hour.
If you wish to learn whether your property has been damaged by the fires, a list is being compiled and kept by the San Bernardino County Assessor's Office. Please
Call the County Assessor's Office at 866-854-3700, or
Visit the County Fire Emergency Local Assistance Center at San Bernardino International Airport at 105 N. Leland Norton Way in San Bernardino.Structural Assessment
For structural assessment, call 909-387-3089.If you wish to have your property damage inspected and structurally assessed by the County of San Bernardino, please:
Call County Building and Safety at 909-387-3089, or
Visit the County Fire Emergency Local Assistance Center at San Bernardino International Airport at 105 N. Leland Norton Way in San Bernardino.
County Building and Safety is compiling a list of properties in the fire areas to inspect.
Fire Emergency Local Assistance Center Hours
Monday through Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Saturdays: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Changes unveiled in fireplace ban regulations - now all fireplaces are in the crosshairs(California) --- KGET news story, Apr. 15, 2003 --- posted at Free Republic, Apr. 15, 2003, by chance33_98 ---
Changes unveiled in fireplace ban regulationsThe air pollution board has unveiled big changes in the latest draft of its fireplace ban regulations.
The new proposal would ban burning in all fireplaces on about 25 nights a year.
Previous drafts would have permitted the use of EPA-approved stoves and gas fireplaces, but now, all fireplaces are in the crosshairs.
The ban would go into effect, only on the smoggiest nights. Exceptions would be made for mountain homes, and for houses with no other source of heat.
A public meeting on the proposed ban is set for May 7th at 2 p.m., at the air-board office at 2700 M Street.
You can email your comments to: tom.Jordan@valleyair.org
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