from an email:
Sawtooth is at 50,000 plus acres, millard is at around 9000 acres. The two
fires are only about a mile a part now and could merge today (not that it
means anything).
The media is playing it out like DOOMSDAY for Big Bear, however, we have a
HUGE airshow going on up here and they have completed some large fire breaks
just to the east of Big Bear.
I personally think Big Bear will be spared without incident, however, I hear
other reports that there is a good chance Onyx Summit and maybe Big Bear
could get hit.
The command post is being setup at Bear Mountain Ski Resort (tent city, lots
of buildings, etc). I work at Bear Mountain, so I'll probably be over there
later helping with some of the telephone and other logistics.
Drift Smoke Fades Sky Across Big Bear Valley; Fire Lying Down
Breaking News
By RIMOFTHEWORLD.net
Friday, July 14, 2006
Smoke drifted across eastern Big Bear Valley this morning from the Sawtooth Fire. Aside from the drift smoke, however, very little fire activity can be observed from the Onyx Summit area. The areas where torching occurred Thursday night show only a few columns of white smoke. The winds are generally calm. Forest Service crews from Mill Creek pulled into the small community and are working with Big Bear fire crews to shore up the "contingency line" from Onyx Peak to the Arrastre Fire burn area. Additionally, crews are continuing to work in Burns Canyon to the east.
http://www.rimoftheworld.net/columns/rotw/fire_creeps?PHPSESSID=7ee50c1232b14f0d532636532663ca30