SBNF Mountaintop roads closed

[Old Fart]

Crestline - The California Highway Patrol has closed all mountain roadways, including Highway 18, 330, 138, and 173, to non-residents. Any residents returning to the mountains will be required to show proof-of-residency such as a drivers license, utility bill, or other identifying document. An evacuation center has been established at the Jerry Lewis Center in Highland for all evacuees.

Air command has begun discussing using the DC-10 tanker to make high altitude drops from about 300 feet above the targets.

[dirtman13]

Is this as a precaution?

[Old Fart]

Enough confusion up there as it is - plus it limits the folks we would have to evacuate. Bad enough if it's only residents - we know where they are. Imagine having to chase down all the possible places someone could be 'wheeling to tell them they needed to leave (BTDT)

[dirtman13]

Understand now. I just heard there is a fire in Arrowhead. :sad:

[RAT]

[COLOR=#ff0000]Grass Valley and Slide Fires Update, as of noon[/COLOR]
There are two fires burning, one in the Grass Valley area, and another in the Green Valley Lake area.
Just after 5am this morning, a fire in the Grass Valley area was reported and has burned 200 acres in the area northwest of Lake Arrowhead. We have unconfirmed reports that 12 structures have burned in the Grass Valley Fire.
As of 8am this morning, a second fire, referred to as the Slide Fire, is burning along the ridgeline above Green Valley Lake, in the vicinity of Forest Service Road 2N13. The Slide Fire has burned over 200 acres, and there are also reports of structure loss in this blaze.
Mandatory evacuations are in place for the following: Green Valley Lake and North Lake Arrowhead, including Deer Lodge Park and residences on Edgecliff Drive, South Lake Arrowhead, Arrowbear and Running Springs. There are voluntary evacuations now in place for Rim Forest and Twin Peaks.
John Miller of the U.S. Forest Service has told us that there is no threat to Big Bear at this time.
Per the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, the county is implementing the Telephone Emergency Notification Systems, or reverse 911, to alert residents in this area, though we have reports that some power lines may be down, which may affect service.
All highways west of the Big Bear Dam are closed to all traffic, except for those evacuating. A CalTrans official tells us that southbound highways from the burn area are in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Again Highways 18 and 330, and all those west of the Dam are closed

[RAT]

Subject: [SBNFCabinCoalition] FOREST CLOSURE EFFECTIVE 6PM
Due to the current fires and exteme conditions, the Forest is going into
closure as of 6:00 pm today. The closure is to include all organization
camps and recreaton residences. Please share with your folks. At this
point there are no fires in the Big Bear Valley or along Highway 38,
currently there no threats to the recreation residences.
Betty Hartenstine
Special Uses Administrator
San Bernardino National Forest
Email - [COLOR=#0000ff]bhartenstine@fs.fed.us[/COLOR]
Phone: (909) 382-2808
cphone: (909) 499-1225
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