The Grass Valley and Slide fires have consumed about 5,000 acres and destroyed about 150 homes, fire officials said during a morning briefing today at Mary Putnum Henck Intermediate School in Lake Arrowhead.
While the Grass Valley Fire laid relatively low overnight, the Slide Fire near Green Valley Lake moved into Running Springs, burning through the Camp Helen Dade Boy Scout camp and destroying homes near Wilderness Drive. It jumped Highway 18 and raced down a drainage to Highway 330, threatening homes in the Fredalba and Smiley Park areas.
Today, firefighters are again facing the same foes that created problematic firefighting scenarios Monday and early Tuesday: strong, unyielding winds that are blowing embers all over the mountainsides and sparking spot fires.
It is uncertain if any aircraft will be deployed today to help battle the blazes due to the strong winds and lack of resources as firefighters battle 15 Southern California wildland fires, including the Slide and Grass Valley fires in the San Bernardino Mountains.
"The huge thing is the wind, because of pilot safety," said Veronica Magnuson, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Forest Service. "Yesterday, they couldn't get them up because of the winds."
Today's highs are expected to be between 68 and 74 degrees and 79-84 degrees in the foothills, with northeast winds between 25 and 35 mph and gusts up to 60 mph through the passes, fire officials said.
Tonight's lows are predicted to be between 42 and 52 degrees, with easterly winds dying off to about 25 mph, officials said.
About 1,000 firefighters are battling the blazes. Two teams, a national and regional, will each be assigned a fire. The regional will be assigned to the Grass Valley Fire in Lake Arrowhead, which has burned about 130 homes, some with price tags topping $1 million, and the national team comprised of state, federal and local resources will take the Slide Fire, said Dan Snow, a fire prevention officer with the U.S. Forest Service.
The Slide Fire burned around the northern, eastern and southern ends of the community of Green Valley Lake Monday and threatened to jump Green Valley Lake Road, the only road accessing the area from Highway 18. It forced firefighters and law enforcement to vacate the area, but it was unclear if any residents remained in the area.
Homes continue to burn in the Running Springs area, said Steve Seltzner, a battalion chief with the U.S. Forest Service.
"We're continuing to lose structures this morning as we speak. It's a real dogfight," Seltzner said during this morning's briefing.
Mandatory evacuations remain in effect throughout most mountain communities. About 15,000 people have been evacuated, said Randy Clauson, a division chief with the U.S. Forest Service.
Joe Nelson, joe.nelson@sbsun.com
I went to Cajon High School, and Cal State San Bernardino. This time of year is so scary through the pass. It is windy, dry and unforgiving. I feel for all of the people that are in this area.