Wildland Fires Rage In Running Springs - Day 3 :: MAXINE

FINAL UPDATE AT 7:00pm PT 

This first morning report at KBHR 93.3FM -

October 24, 2007 -- Evacuation Orders -- Update as
of 7am

New Mandatory evacuation orders
are in effect for every community west of Snow Valley [ski area].


Mandatory evacuations remain in effect for all other
communities from Crestline to Snow Valley Ski Area, including Lake Arrowhead and
Cedar Glen. Mountains Community Hospital in Lake Arrowhead has been evacuated.


Voluntary evacuations are in effect for Cedar Pines
Park and Valley Of Enchantment [the foothills North and East of Lake
Arrowhead, Lake Gregory, and Crestline].

----

 Excerpted from Socalmountains.com Scanner/Chat Forum –

Wednesday 24
October 2007 - 07:42:18
smoke is laying across the ridge tops up here in big
bear by the lake, i can see it from my windows

Wednesday 24 October 2007
- 07:45:49
perscanner talk to getting units in place and where awaiting on
air attack , should be there ,,, )air atack is on the fire now,

Wednesday
24 October 2007 - 07:46:54
smoke maybe circling the big bear vally its out my
front window now, stay inside if you have breathing problems like me
,

Wednesday 24 October 2007 - 08:06:20
station 291 morning report big
bear per scanner - xxxx just the smoke only no fire its still down in the lower
comunites , the winds have changed litely to bring the smoke up here but nothing
eles, this wind change is helping the fire fighters( ffs ) to get a handle on
this fire, rest easy

Wednesday 24 October 2007 - 08:07:40
per scanner
( air to ground trying to do a recon at 7500 feet over the grass fire, ,
attempting to do that area but being hamped by the heavy smoke, - i havent been
over the slide fire yet to do media, traffic and heavy smoke there too, will do
when i can

Wednesday 24 October 2007 - 08:19:42
Fire is heading to
Butler peak again

Wednesday 24 October 2007 - 08:22:33
to all there is
a major fire break from arrowbear to the big bear dam= and butler peak from the
dc 10 that made special drops just for us to protect us with retardant just in
case worst case wind change

Wednesday 24 October 2007 - 08:26:51
hm
this has been happening for years new crews said tuesday the fire in lake
arrowhead and on monday it was 70% contained , hello no 0% containement now you
know why i say this their info is wrong ,

Wednesday 24 October 2007 -
08:30:01
I think the Highland folks might want to know this information per
scanner:" It looks like the southern end of that is down into Plunge (Creek) in
section 8; adjacent to and West of Mount R. That's the only slop over on the
southern aspect. Doesn't look to be much below Smiley Park. " -- That is about 5
miles Northwest of Highland

Wednesday 24 October 2007 - 08:36:42
from
ROTW msg board -- "WakeBoarder: Was up in the area yesterday, Tues 10/23. North
end of Brentwood, Trinity, Modoc, Merced suffered huge damge. Fire movedinto the
National Forest after that. From waht I saw, no homes on Fairway west of
brentwood, Spyglass and Cypress were lost. 2 homes on the western end of wlanut
hill were lost"

Wednesday 24 October 2007 - 08:45:12
per LIVE Ch.
5....DC-10 too smoky in Arrowhead...going to SD

Wednesday 24 October 2007
- 08:45:29
Per AirOps in Victorville: The DC10 is going to the Harris Fire
along Mexican Border. There is too much smoke at Slide and Grass Valley
fire.

Wednesday 24 October 2007 - 08:46:46
ROTW: Enchanted Forest is
clear. Went up and down all the streets.

Excerpted from Socalmountains.com Scanner/Chat Forum –

Wednesday 24
October 2007 - 09:16:49
any word on the Nordic area? My sis lives there.
Scandia

Wednesday 24 October 2007 - 09:23:54
She just told me that it
is called the Nordic Tract, specifically Scandia, across the hwy from Hoffman
Elementary School

Wednesday 24 October 2007 - 09:38:47
air craft is
flying over the slide fire * arrowbear and doing drops of water and retardant ,
per scanner talk and visible

Wednesday 24 October 2007 -
09:42:52
rotw: Eye witness as of 7pm last night - Heavy burning all along the
narrows area of Running Springs(this is off Hunsaker Drive and Deep Creek Dr -
north of town). Most all of Fredalba and Smiley Park and the area of the church
has been destroyed.

Wednesday 24 October 2007 - 09:46:19
superfire(
the winds have died down up here but still active down below, , super scooper is
up here working on the slide fire, along with 6 air tankers working it behavior
cant really say excpt heavy smoke drifting all over i know thats not what you
asked but thas all i have right now

Wednesday 24 October 2007 -
09:52:13
per the pilot of the dc 10 its possible the when the winds change
later this afternoon , its possible he will be back up here working .. well
see

Wednesday 24 October 2007 - 09:52:26
rotw: {missed part of this -
fire is starting to pick up again, ridge near Green Valley Lake it's now about
1/3 of the way down from the top of the ridge; no air support on it yet - heard
the words "Snow Valley" in that conversation but don't know how they
related}

Wednesday 24 October 2007 - 10:06:31
Channel 4 reporter on
telephone from Artic Circle. Fire is burning between Arrowbear and Butler Peak.
No houses in line of fire. Not of concern to Big Bear or Arrowbear right
now.

Wednesday 24 October 2007 - 10:14:37
The SuperScooper just got
permission to scoop out of BBL.

This Excerpted from ROTW incidents
-

10:29 AM Source: other
Phone interview with
USFS PIO, John Miller - The westward movement of the slide fire has stalled just
to the east of the dump on the ridge with the towers. Damage assessment teams
have started in the Grass Valley area and are moving east. They will release
damage maps as soon as they are complete. They should have some detail. The fire
in Green Valley Lake has moved down towards 18 and Snow Valley, less than 1/4
mile from road. Heavy activity in the Fedalba, Smiley Park area with heavy
damage. Fire has traveled east under the south side of RS to the Rimwood Ranch
area there will be a briefing at the Orange Show Evacuation Center for the
Crestline area later today but no time as of yet. Super scooper aircraft and
helo's will be working the fires and more resources are moving in from out of
state and from Canada.
Reference
Here>>

We, at MAXINE, do not know if this answers the question
posed about the integrity of the “Nordic Tract” … but the phrase “Fire has
traveled east under the south side of RS to the Rimwood Ranch area” would give
me pause. We will keep our eyes peeled as to information concerning this area
near Hoffman Elementary School.

 Excerpted from Socalmountains.com Scanner/Chat Forum
–

Wednesday 24 October 2007 - 11:03:48
My Brother who is
a Firefighter seen the man and Detained him till CHP took him
away----

This confirms what I just saw over at the Corvette
Forum on the story referenced by Adam Housley from FOX NEWS at the beginning of
this day’s posting -

Police caught Arsonist attemping to
start fire in San Bernardino Mountains
Posted By: Petew1971 - CF Senior
Member

Yesterday in the evening some *!@#% on a motorcycle was trying to
start a fire in the Valley of Enchantment, Crestline area. If he would have been
successful the fire would have come at us from the East and headed into the
Other fires, it would have completely wiped us out. Some eye witnesses saw this
scumbag and held him until officers could arrive.

So, this evidence
would suggest that the two accounts relate to one event featuring only one ARSON
suspect.

Excerpted from Socalmountains.com
Scanner/Chat Forum –

Wednesday 24 October 2007 -
11:10:36
ROTW: ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM PDT TODAY FOR GUSTY
NORTHEAST WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES THROUGH AND BELOW PASSES AND CANYONS
AND FOR LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES FOR MOST REMAINING INLAND AREAS EXCEPT FOR THE
DESERTS... CORRECTION TO HEADLINES. .DISCUSSION... SANTA ANA WINDS WILL
GRADUALLY DECREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY TODAY WITH THE TYPICAL DIURNAL
INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND STRENGTH EARLY THIS MORNING. HOWEVER...OFFSHORE WINDS
ARE EXPECTED TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY WEAKER AND LESS WIDESPREAD THAN THE PAST FEW
DAYS. AS THE SANTA ANA DIMINISHES...THERE WILL BE AN INCREASED POTENTIAL FOR
ERRATIC WINDS AND LOCAL EFFECTS NEAR THE WILDFIRES.

This
Excerpted from ROTW incidents –
11:28 AM Source: other From: via
email - thank you
Was in Running Springs between 2pm and 5pm. FYI... Town was
fine, but it was burning heavily behind Don's Garage. Traveling south from
behind town, many structures were on fire all the way to the Korean retreat and
near the Castle (although these structures were NOT on fire at the time). Homes
between HWY 18 and Sunset, up and down the hill to City Creek rd were in tact at
3PM. Homes along Panorama Drive as of 3PM were fine, with lots of thick smoke
from above HWY 18 and burning up the hill from below HWY 330. {Note: Personal
THANK YOU from RS transcriber for the info on Panorama Drive.}

11:54 AM
Source: other
Phone interview with USFS PIO John Miller - Person was arrested
in VOE last night for arson, he was observed in the act and was followed by
chopper to a house and arrested by SO. He is now named as a person of interest
in the other fires according to CHP PIO Fernandez.

 01:42 PM Source: other From: via email - thank you (Excellent
We had a
confirmation from a fire fighter that Overhill Drive and Onacrest Drive in
Running Springs is in pretty good shape. There was property damage toward the
east ends of those roads, but the majority of the homes on those streets were in
good shape as of 8:00 last night (Tuesday night).

01:43 PM Source: other
From: via email - thank you (Excellent
Arrowhead Villas update - A friend of
mine, associated with the fire service is still in the Arrowhead Villas and
reports that the skies directly above are blue and there is only some misty
smoke in the air. The area seems to be intact.

01:46 PM Source: scanner
From: via email - thank you (Excellent
I have been in contact w/Don's Towing
in Running Springs (The Village) a few times today as my parents have a house on
31930 Pine Cone Dr. The representative at Don's Towing has been in close contact
with a CHP Officer who they work with on a regular basis (w/towing incidents)
and she assured me that Pine Cone Dr. (just behind the town of Running Springs
& Jensen's Market) is ok and NO damage has been reported. {Transcriber's
note: yesterday there were reports of an address on Pine Cone that was in
imminent danger. This is excellent news that there has been no
damage.}

01:55 PM Source: scanner
we have a spot fire coming up Pine
Cone, Mountain View, cross of View, right behind the Motel just to the west of
that other spot there (Bus Stop) on 18; threatening homes

02:08 PM
Source: eyewitness
The following homes were lost in Lake Arrowhead. This is
from a resident who remained on the mountain and surveyed the area (thanks)
Brentwood: 748,756,764,768,772,781,792,796,723,787,798,832,838 and all houses
between 759 and 787 759 is not burned and is not inclusive in that list for
Brentwood, 787 is burnt Trinity Drive: beyond 929 looked to be all burnt,
couldnt drive up in too far

02:44 PM Source: scanner
There's a hot
spot on Pine Cone close to Preston. Closest spot was between Don's Garage and
Jubilee's house. Lot of spots down to Canon Way. Need you to go take a look.


02:55 PM Source: other From: via email - THANK YOU
Took a drive (at
about 11:30 am) over to Twin Peaks to check on specific addresses for three
friends.

We turned right onto Walnut Hills and followed it all the way
until it turns into Spyglass and continued along Spyglass until it comes out
onto Fairway. All good except the home at 26150 Walnut Hills was badly damaged
and the home next door to it (on the same side of the street but with a lower
street number) was burned to the round.

From Spyglass and Fairway all
looked fine, but the fire appeared to have burned the forest right up to the
backyards of the homes along the north side of this stretch of
Fairway.

From Fairway we turned north onto Brentwood, then north onto
Sonoma, crossing Sutter. The houses on east side of Sonoma look ok, on both the
north and south sides of this part of Sutter (at its southern intersection with
Sonoma).

We crossed Placer, and things still looked ok. There continued
to be charred trees on the west side of Sonoma but the houses (which are on the
east side) seem ok.

We crossed the intersection with the northern end of
Sutter. One house on the left (west) looks gone, just north of the northern
intersection. across the street from 715 Sonoma. The houses on the right (east)
side of Sonoma look ok, including 715, 725, and 735 Sonoma. The next house on
the left also looks ok. In fact, everything looks ok for a while.

We
crossed Amador (on the left), staying on Sonoma, and things continued to look
ok.

The most heavily damaged area that we saw began just north of 875
Sonoma (which was still standing). The homes at 899, 905, 915, 935, 945, and 955
Sonoma all burned to the ground. These are all on the east side of the street.
The next house to the north appeared to be ok (I didn't get its number), but
another structure to the north (perhaps just a parking deck or garage?) was
burned. Powerlines were down across the road, but the fire crew that was there
said it was ok to drive across them.

We crossed Amador again, farther
north. It looked like several houses were gone on this part of Amador, to the
east of Black Oaks Drive (Sonoma turned into Black Oaks). We crossed Windward,
the houses seem ok

We crossed Black Oaks Court on the left (west) side of
Black Oaks Drive and did
not notice any damaged homes, although we did not
drive into the court. The four houses at the north end of Black Oaks drive (two
on each side of the street, 1025, 1031, 1034 and one other) looked
undamaged.

We passed quite a few fire men and law enforcement officers,
but no one stopped us or asked what we were doing. Grandview and Brentwood both
had "road closed" signage at their north ends, but there didn't seem to be
anyone enforcing this.

03:03 PM Source: other From: via email - Thank you

Fire raging on south side of Running Springs, across from 76 station and The
Bus Stop according to first hand account of resident. Working its way toward
Canyon Park.

03:13 PM Source: scanner
have a new assignment for you;
come into Running Springs, turn onto Mountain View there by Jensens; go back to
Pine Cone and come down to Preston. It's coming around and going to bump up
against town again.

This update from KBHR 93.3FM news website
–

Hesperia Man
Arrested for Arson Last Night, for Brush Fire Off Highway
173

We have just received word from the California
Highway Patrol, that John Alfred Rund of Hesperia has been arrested for arson.
Here is the complete text of the CHP press release, sent to KBHR
today:

On October 23, 2007 at approximately 8:50 pm, CHP Officer Chris
Denkers and Officer Bill Hatcher from the Victorville CHP area were assigned to
a wildfire traffic control post on SR-173 at Arrowhead Lake Road. Both Officers
were informed by a witness that a brush fire was starting on SR-173 south of
Arrowhead Lake Road.

Officer Denkers contacted the Barstow Communication
Center and responded to the scene, where he observed four individuals attempting
to extinguish the brush fire by using shovels and dirt. Witnesses at the scene
informed Officer Denkers that a suspicious individual was seen squatting down
near the point of origin and left the scene on a Honda motorcycle. The
individual was wearing a red and white striped helmet.

CHP helicopter
H-80 piloted by Officer Rowland Barry and Flight Officer Mike Adams immediately
responded to the scene and began an aerial search using infrared equipment. A
responding San Bernardino County Fire Engine advised that the motorcycle was
heading toward the road closure on SR-173 at SR-138. Officer Barry spotted the
motorcycle and followed it into an address on SR-173.

The helicopter crew
then directed CHP and San Bernardino County Sheriff's personnel to the location
where they made contact with the subject.

After further
investigation, John Alfred Rund, 48 (DOB: 01/21/59) from Hesperia, was arrested
for arson.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Bomb/Arson Detail, along
with San Bernardino County Fire Department, will be conducting an arson
investigation. The investigation is ongoing and it is unknown if John Rund is
connected to any other fire in San Bernardino County, as the cause of those
fires has not been determined.

The outcome of this arrest is due to the
combined efforts of local concerned citizens along with the multi-agency law
enforcement presence in the San Bernardino mountains.

San Bernardino
County Supervisor Dennis Hansberger received the news of the arrest and said, “I
am heartened to hear of the arrest and pleased that we are remaining diligent to
bring about safety in our county.”

Smoke Expected in Bear Valley; Grass Valley Fire Now 30%
Contained; Winds Push Slide Fire Southwest; Big Bear Safe -- Update as of
5pm

There will be smoke in the Big Bear Valley this
evening, but we can report to you, with assurance, that there is still no
imminent threat to the Big Bear area resulting from the Slide Fire and Grass
Valley Fire.

John Miller of the U.S. Forest Service tells KBHR this
evening, “Right now, we do not feel that there is a threat to Big Bear, but
residents of Big Bear Valley can expect heavy smoke.” This smoke, rising in our
direction, is in part because the Santa Ana winds are diminishing and, also, due
to an inversion layer, per fire officials.
----
The Slide Fire, burning in
the Running Springs area has been active, but is moving in a southwest
direction, away from the Big Bear Valley. All sources confirm that the two fires
have not merged.

The Slide Fire, we're told, has also not reached the
burn areas of the Butler and Butler #2 Fires from September. As further
reassurance, Miller tells KBHR, “There are over 21 square miles of recently
burned vegetation that sits between Fawnskin and the Slide Fire. The recently
burned areas could be a benefit in slowing any progress from the other
fires.”

Though updated numbers have not yet been available in
terms of structure loss on the Slide and Grass Valley Fires, we can expect some
updated information on Thursday. Tom Kempton at Incident Command tells us that
because the Grass Valley Fire has slowed some today, crews are in the area to do
mop up work around burned structures, and anticipate being able to present a
count of burned homes on Thursday.

At this time, the count remains at at
least 100, with an additional 6,000 structures still threatened. The Grass
Valley Fire is now reported as 30% contained, with nearly 550 firefighters
assigned, including 99 engines. One thousand plus acres have burned in the Grass
Valley Fire.

The Slide Fire, which has been more active today,
has been burning vigorously in the Running Springs and Fredalba area, though
aircraft crews have continued water drops in an effort to save the downtown area
of Running Springs. Current tallies reflect that over 10,150 acres have burned
on this fire, at least 200 homes have been lost, and there is no estimation of
containment at this time. Over 550 firefighting personnel are assigned to the
Slide Fire.
When we spoke with Firefighter Kempton earlier today, he noted
that the fires are wind-driven and that “combustible materials around homes have
made a difference.”

Though the Slide and Grass Valley Fires do not pose
an immediate threat to the Big Bear area, we do recommend that you maintain
defensible space around your home, including the clearing of pine needles and
roofline gutters.

Highway 18 through Lucerne Valley does remain
open, as does Highway 38. Per official sources at the San Bernardino County
Sheriff's Department, CalTrans, the U.S. Forest Service and the California
Highway Patrol, access on Highway 38 is open to all traffic, though we do
suggest that those leaving the mountain during fire season carry proof of
residence. Still, Officer Gary Fernandez with the CHP tells KBHR, “The back
roads to Big Bear are wide open. There is no
checkpoint.

”So, to recap, the Grass Valley Fire has
been less active today and is now 30% contained, the Slide Fire continues to
burn in a southwest direction, and at this time, there is no indication that the
Big Bear Valley is in any immediate danger due to these fires burning in
mountain communities to the west.

END OF DAY