Posted on 10/22/2007 9:59:31 AM PDT by Smogger
9:03 a.m.: Fires in Lake Arrowhead prompt evacuations
By Stacia Glenn
LAKE ARROWHEAD - Two fires are raging in the mountains, forcing hundreds of people from their homes. A wildfire started at 5 a.m. in Grass Valley just north of Lake Arrowhead and has burned more than 100 acres. Mandatory evacuations are in place for Deer Lodge Park, north of Aleutian Drive; and all streets north of Brentwood Drive.
There are voluntary evacuations for North Lake Arrowhead, along Grass Valley Road, Twin Peaks and Rim Forest.
A second fire, dubbed the Slide Fire, broke out in Green Valley Lake, where there is also a mandatory evacuation.
All highways west of Big Bear Dam are closed.
9:27 a.m.: Fire ecologist: Wind stirred Butler II fire
By George Watson
UCR Riverside Prof. Richard Minnich said it appears the Butler II wildfire has restarted because of the winds. "It looks like there are two prongs moving southwest," Minnich said. "One is by (Big Bear )Dam, and the other is near Green Valley Lake where the fire stopped before."
Making his assessments by viewing satellite imagery, Minnich said he is particularly concerned about Running Springs. Wind could push it through the footprint of the 1970 Bear Fire, Minnich said, and then on to that community.
"If it reaches Running Springs, that whole town is in trouble," he said.
With so many fires burning throughout Southern California today, Minnich added, "Hundreds of homes are going to burn today. Right now, the issue is the firefighters are spread too thinly."
(Excerpt) Read more at dailybulletin.com ...
****************************San Bernandino Fires **************************
************************
Fire north of Lake Arrowhead.
Immediate Mandatory Evacuations for the entire Deer Lodge Park Area, north of Aleutian.
North Lake Arrowhead is under mandatory evacuation, all areas listed below
North of the Lake Arrowhead Dam on SR 173
North of of North Bay and State Highway 189
Grass Valley Road north of Club House Drive
Communities of Twin Peaks and Rim Forest are under voluntary evacuation.
Evacuation Center has moved from Charles Hoffman Elementary to the Jerry Lewis Community Center at 7790 Center in Highland.
State Highway 18 is closed from 40th/Waterman to the Big Bear Dam
State Highway 330 is closed at Highland
State Highway 138 is Closed at State Highway 173
| Incident Type | Wildland Fire |
|---|---|
| Cause | Under Investigation |
| Date of Origin | 10/22/2007 at 0508 hrs. |
| Location | Deer Lodge Park |
| Incident Commander | Randy Clauson |
| Total Personnel | Not available |
|---|---|
| Size | 300 acres |
| Fuels Involved |
Grass and Timber |
| Fire Behavior |
Severe |
| Significant Events |
Not available |
| Planned Actions |
Not available |
|---|---|
| Remarks |
Homes have been lost. Mandatory Evaucations for Green Valley, Arrowbear, and Running Springs. |
| Current Wind Conditions | 20-30 mph NE |
|---|---|
| Current Temperature | Not available |
| Current Humidity | Not available |
Mandatory Evacuation for Green Valley Lake, Arrowbear, and Running Springs. Evauaction Center at Jerry Lewis Community Center, 7793 Central Ave Highland, CA
| Incident Type | Wildland Fire |
|---|---|
| Cause | Under Investigation |
| Date of Origin | Not available |
| Location | Green Valley Lake, Near Runnin Springs |
| Incident Commander | Betty Ashe |
| Total Personnel | Not available |
|---|---|
| Size | 150 acres |
| Fuels Involved |
Grass And Timber |
| Fire Behavior |
Extreme |
| Significant Events |
Not available |
| Planned Actions |
Not available |
|---|---|
| Remarks |
Mandatory Evacuations for Green Valley Lake, Arrowbear, Running Springs |
| Current Wind Conditions | 30 mph NE |
|---|---|
| Current Temperature | Not available |
| Current Humidity | Not available |
Thanks I know all of these places.
A fire has been reported at the interchange of the 15 Freeway and the 215 Freeway in the Devore area. There's also an unconfirmed report of a fire off of the 210 Freeway at Sierra Avenue in Fontana.
North and southbound lanes of the 15 Freeway are closed due to the fire. The wind in the area was howling and debris -- everything from pebbles to chunks of trees and limbs -- was blowing around.
A piece of flying debris broke out the back window of staff photographer Walt Weis' Kia Rio at the scene. Weis was at the scene shooting photos of the fire and was not hurt.
Thanks, you are doing a great job!
They are finally showing footage from Arrowhead. Doesn’t look good. 1500 homes threatened they are already losing some homes. They are evacuating Arrowhead.
Good question, I'll answer that.
California has more acreage of steep, super rugged geography than many states have land. Many of these areas are totally inaccessible for most equipment, even for those on foot, add in very strong winds, with embers that can travel at 60 plus miles per hour, for *miles* into neighborhoods and other areas, that are far from the fires...
It would be impossible to send in several hundred thousand people every summer to be airlifted into hundreds of square miles, into all these super rugged steep areas to cut the brush. It's not only impractical, they'd never get to all of it.
Yips!
Oue house was built in 1913, so it has seen a lot of fires and survived, lets hope for this one.
L.A.'s channel 4 (KNBC) is pretty much focused on this new one; we're staying with this one for awhile, because of the potential for a huge disaster.
You got a link. Yeah that could be a huge disaster. CDF is saying they can’t get air resources up there because it is too windy. Without airpower they are screwed.
San Diego is having major problems,...fire crews totally overwhelmed....
“It’s now Al Gore or Al Qaida causing it. And, I don’t like either one” (air to ground humor over Arrowhead)
You seem to be operating under the illusion that we have flat land around the area....
He actually sent a 3 word reply: "Very good point"
Good answers and addresses a point that many like myself overlook; fighting fires is a regional phenomenon. What works in one area is unworkable elsewhere.
Prayers for all involved. A cousin lived in Rancho Bernardo until a couple years ago. I know the area from visits but can only imagine how terrible it must be.
The San Diego fires are amazingly bad..huge growth, lots of injury and structure damage. Inciweb, which isn’t covering all of them yet, keeps going down. But heck, with all the evacs and chaos, and fast changing situtions, I’m surprised any PIO has time to post to it, anyway...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.