Article sponsored by Mercy Air and Goodwin’s Market
Article and photos by Malia Dietz (unless otherwise noted)
Shortly after noon on Sunday, volunteer lookouts from Keller Peak fire watch tower as well as multiple 911 callers reported smoke visible in the hills south of Big Bear Lake prompting a full response by Fire Crews. U.S. Forest Helicopter 534 was first on scene overhead reporting visible fire near Bluff Lake off of Forest Road 2N86 in the Bluff Mesa area of the San Bernardino National Forest.
Ground units were a little longer to arrive on scene, due to the fact that access was only through narrow dirt roads. The smell of smoke was prolific throughout the surrounding recreational camp facilities. It is reported that some people near Bluff Lake had begun voluntary evacuations causing downbound traffic through the dirt roads which hampered firefighters attempting to access the scene.
By 12:30 p.m. additional air attack units had arrived on scene and began air drops of retardant around the fire. Multiple helicopters were also seen dipping out of Big Bear Lake amidst recreational boaters and tourist vessels.
Scanner traffic indicated that firefighters at the scene had a hose lay around the fire approximately 20 minutes later and the forward rate of spread had stopped just after 1:00 p.m.
Agencies responding to this fire included U.S. Forest Service Fire, Cal Fire, San Bernardino County Fire and the Big Bear Fire Department. Stations 91 and 92 also responded from Lake Arrowhead. According to a radio transmission heard just before 1:15 PM, a wet line was holding around the 1/4 acre fire and that all additional incoming units had been cancelled. The cause of this fire is currently under investigation.
According to a U.S. Forest Service Press Release, the South Big Bear Lake thinning project helped in keeping this fire from becoming larger.
