By Scott Limpus
November 11, 2018
At 3:38 pm on Sunday, a call was made to 9-1-1 reporting a vegetation fire near Hickory Dr. in Cedar Glen. Smoke was visible from Mountain’s Community Hospital and other locations in Lake Arrowhead prompting multiple reports. With the Fire Weather Warnings in effect, a first alarm vegetation assignment was ordered which included 5 engines from the US Forest Service, 5 Engines from CalFIRE, and 5 Engines from San Bernardino County Fire, along with a bulldozer, hand crews, 5 aircraft, and Battalion Chiefs. Responding units located the fire on Jasper St. a short time later. The initial size-up of the Hickory Fire was a 50’x50’ fire in medium brush, wind and topography driven, moderate rate of spread, with some structure threat.
Many of the roads in that area are narrow, dirt roads and most of the equipment staged on Hook Creek Road and crews hiked to the end of Jasper St. to attack the fire. A water-dropping helicopter, one of two assigned to the fire, made a drop on the fire that slowed the forward rate of spread. Two S-2 air tankers made a total of 4 retardant drops to box in the fire. The air attack and second helicopter remained in the area in case additional drops were needed.
The engine crews got a line around the fire, using hand tools to cut a containment line, and hoses to cool the smoldering vegetation. Handcrews arrived to reinforce the line. By 4:31 pm they had made good enough progress to cancel any additional resources that were not already on scene. At 5:13 pm, the forward rate of spread was stopped and the total acreage burned was estimated to be 1 ½ acres. There were no injuries to civilian nor firefighter personnel, and no damage to any structures. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
