Multiple crews responded to small fires caused by lightning in the afternoon of 7/29/18 in the Crab Flats recreational area of Deep Creek. This area is west of Green Valley Lake and east of Lake Arrowhead. Emergency Vehicles were staged at the entrance of 3N16 near Green Valley Lake Road above highway 18. Air operations were initially on full response but were almost immediately grounded due to ongoing lightning.
There was initial confusion as multiple reports continued going into 911 and it was unclear to dispatchers which were duplicate calls and which were new starts. Torrey Road and 173 along with Hook Creek Road were two locations mentioned during the initial response as additional fires.
When crews arrived onscene at the #crabfire, they were able to visually confirm a second fire near the same area as the first. Access by vehicle was impossible however, so the firefighters had to hike to the #leaffire. A 3rd fire was also caused by lightning in Big Bear, igniting a tree. All three fires were quickly put out by crews with additional help provided by nature in the way of summer rain.
From San Bernardino National Forest on Twitter
Our firefighters responded to 3 lighting strike fires tonight in the San Bernardino Mtns near…
– Crab Flats, 0.07 acre
– Green Valley Lake, 0.25 acre
– Big Bear, large tree
Partners: Arrowbear Fire @CALFIREBDU @CHPArrowhead @RSPFireRescue @SBCOUNTYFIRE @sbcountysheriff
Photo credit: Firefighter/Paramedic Granzow, Running Springs Fire
