Slide Fire - Green Valley Lake, Near Running Springs

[Wrightwood]

Slide Wildland Fire

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INCIDENT UPDATED 58 MIN. AGO
Summary

Mandatory Evacuation for Green Valley Lake, Arrowbear, and Running Springs. Fire has crossed Hwy 18 in Running Springs. Evacuation Center is located at National Orange Show in San Bernardino.
Basic Information
Incident Type    Wildland Fire
Cause    Under Investigation
Date of Origin    10/22/2007 at 0802 hrs.
Location    Green Valley Lake, Near Running Springs
Incident Commander    Betty Ashe
Current Situation
Total Personnel    Not available
Size    4,000 acres
Fuels Involved    

Grass And Timber
Fire Behavior    

Extreme. fire making runs at Running Springs and Green Valley Lake.
Significant Events    

Not available
Outlook
Planned Actions    

Crews are working on stucture protection in Smiley Park and Fredalba.
Growth Potential    

Extreme
Remarks    

Mandatory Evacuations for Green Valley Lake, Arrowbear, Running Springs.

25 homes have been confirmed burned. 400 homes threatened.

Road Closures--All highways west of Big Bear Dam: 138, 18 and 330.

Hwy 18 to 40th St., 330 bottom (Highland) to top.

Resources on Scene-- 4 Crews, 22 engines, 6 Water Tenders.
Weather
Current Wind Conditions    30 mph NE
Current Temperature    Not available
Current Humidity    Not available

[RennMan]

The Cub Scout/Boy Scout Camp Helendade near Running Springs was burned over by the fire.  The California Inland Empire Council in Redlands expects a total loss.

Not much information yet, but here are some links:

http://www.bsa-ciec.org/openrosters/vieworgpagelink.asp?orgkey=21&linkkey=15211

http://www.camphelendade.org/

The camp has been there for 40+ years, and many Scouts in the southland have spent a lot of happy times there.  I was lucky enough to have been there for three camps with my Cub Scout.

The camp was right across the street from residences on Wagon Wheel Drive, and there were other group camps in the immediate area.  Keep the people in the fire areas in your hearts.

[RennMan]

The camp was right across the street from residences on Wagon Wheel Drive, and there were other group camps in the immediate area.  Keep the people in the fire areas in your hearts.

Correction: Camp Helendade is on Wilderness Road.

[rdnckgrl78]

A resident on channel 4 said information about the fires in Arrowhead can be found at

www.rimoftheworld.net

[Suhijita]

On the news they said that Highland is now evacuating.

[WWMtnGal]

It is a voluntary evacuation, and it is just the East end near the 330 because the fire is still not that close to Highland

[WWMtnGal]

Moutains Community Hospital is being evacuated

[Wrightwood]

INCIDENT UPDATED 4 HRS. AGO
Summary

Mandatory Evacuation for Green Valley Lake, Arrowbear, and Running Springs. Fire has crossed Hwy 18 in Running Springs and also crossed Hwy 330. Evacuation Centers are located at National Orange Show in San Bernardino and the Victorville Fairgrounds in Victorville. All highways in the San Bernardino Mountains west of Big Bear Dam are closed to upbound traffic.
Basic Information
Incident Type    Wildland Fire
Cause    Under Investigation
Date of Origin    10/22/2007 at 0802 hrs.
Location    Green Valley Lake, Near Running Springs
Incident Commander    William Kaage
Current Situation
Total Personnel    505
Size    4,000 acres
Fuels Involved    

Timber (grass understory)
Fire Behavior    

Extreme, wind driven, group torching, crown runs and spotting. Fire Made significant runs through structures today. Expecting a wind event to last several hours this evening.
Significant Events    

Over 2000 people have been evacuated at the American Red Cross Evacuation center at the National Orange Show.
Outlook
Planned Actions    

Firefighter and public safety, structure protection and perimeter control. Crews are working on stucture protection in Smiley Park and Fredalba.
Growth Potential    

Extreme
Terrain Difficulty    

High
Remarks    

Mandatory Evacuations for all areas from Crestline to Snow Valley. Voluntary evacuations for Highland from North of Highland Avenue, east of Hwy 330 and west of Weaver.

An estimated 200 homes have been burned.

A total of 10,000 homes threatened for the Grass and Slide fire areas.

Road Closures--All highways west of Big Bear Dam: 138, 18 and 330.

Hwy 18 to 40th St., 330 bottom (Highland) to top.

Resources on Scene-- 3 Crews, 83 engines, 31 Water Tenders.

Fire has crossed Hwy 18 on the west end of Running Springs, also it has crossed Hwy 330 in the Fredalba and Smiley Park areas.
Weather
Current Wind Conditions    20 G 35 mph NE
Current Temperature    68 degrees
Current Humidity    Not available

[Wrightwood]

INCIDENT UPDATED 3 HRS. AGO
Summary

Mandatory Evacuation for Green Valley Lake, Arrowbear, and Running Springs. Fire has crossed Hwy 18 in Running Springs and also crossed Hwy 330. Evacuation Centers are located at National Orange Show in San Bernardino and the Victorville Fairgrounds in Victorville. All highways in the San Bernardino Mountains west of Big Bear Dam are closed to upbound traffic. Access to Big Bear is via Hwy 38 from I-10 in Redlands or from Hwy 18 through the Hi-Desert in Lucerne Valley.
Basic Information
Incident Type    Wildland Fire
Cause    Under Investigation
Date of Origin    10/22/2007 at 0802 hrs.
Location    Green Valley Lake, Near Running Springs
Incident Commander    Jerry Mcgowan
Current Situation
Total Personnel    564
Size    10,152 acres
Fuels Involved    

Timber (grass understory)
Fire Behavior    

Moderate intensity fire behavior was observed. Fire is mainly spreading thru spotting, group torching and short crown runs.
Significant Events    

Over 2700 people have been evacuated at the American Red Cross Evacuation center at the National Orange Show.

Moderate intensity fire behavior was observed. Fire is mainly spreading thru spotting, group torching and short crown runs.
Outlook
Planned Actions    

Firefighter and public safety, structure protection and perimeter control. Continue structure protection and perimeter control at Hwy 18 and Green Valley.
Growth Potential    

Extreme
Terrain Difficulty    

High
Containment Target    

When critical resource needs can be met and weather conditions moderate.
Remarks    

Mandatory Evacuations for all areas from Crestline to Snow Valley. Voluntary evacuations for Highland from North of Highland Avenue, east of Hwy 330 and west of Weaver.

An estimated 200+ homes have been burned.

A total of 10,000 homes threatened for the Grass and Slide fire areas.

Road Closures--All highways west of Big Bear Dam: 138, 18 and 330.

Hwy 18 to 40th St., 330 bottom (Highland) to top.

Resources on Scene-- 17 Crews, 99 engines, 3 Helicopters, 28 Water Tenders, 1 Dozer.

Fire has crossed Hwy 18 on the west end of Running Springs, also it has crossed Hwy 330 in the Fredalba and Smiley Park areas.
Weather
Current Wind Conditions    20 G 35 mph SW
Current Temperature    68 degrees
Current Humidity    Not available

[SkierBob]

The USFS cooked their own goose when they pulled out of the Running Springs neighborhood and let it burn to the ground.  The retired fire captain who with his son's help saved their home after the USFS turned tail and rain voice will be heard over the next few weeks.  USFS officials may say it was life or death,, but the retired fire capt & son stayed behind, saved the home, and are still alive.  Justified or not,, the USFS will spend a lot of time and money defending their actions in Running Springs.  I'd like to know the retired fire captains experience and how it sizes up to the USFS experience at the retired fire captains location at the time the USFS took their resources and ran.

Since it's impossible to give a 'blank check' for fighting fires, if the USFS won't protect structures the money given to them should be given to another fire organization, perhaps spent on more air support.  I'll bet I won't be the only one with this opinion.

I know my comments will be unpopular in this forum where everyone believes they'll be protected and saved by local, state, and federal agencies.. but when the fire is burning in the tree tops above your ww home, you very well may only have your local fire engines and your CERT volunteers to respond. I recommend good fire insurance, especially if the USFS is sent to save your home.

A fire in ww is as inevitable as future water shortages.

[Hillbillies]

Smoke from these fires is now settling in Hesperia, and I am guessing most of the high desert....... cough cough....

[Calindy]

Check out Lisa Benson's cartoon in today's Daily Press:

http://cartoonistgroup.com/store/add.php?iid=19049

[Wrightwood]

Smiley Park Fire Information

http://spccvote.com/

(note: have no idea of the accuracy)

[Wrightwood]

DATE/TIME OF REPORT:    10/25/07   1615 Hours


The Slide Fire is now 10% contained.