Friday-Saturday, October 31- November 1, 2003

I'm too tired to update my maps tonight.  I'll work on it in the morning as long as you all (15,000 Unique Visitors yesterday) don't email me tomorrow.

I have reports that pieces of the fire have worked their way toward Arrowbear.  I will try to get as much info as possible and post it.  No need to email me and ask me about it.  I will post it here as soon as I know more.

All the mountain area schools are safe as far as I hear.

Highway 38 to Forest Falls is open for residents only.

It is lightly snowing in Twin Peaks.
 

Currently- SHOWERS WILL SLOWLY MOVE EASTWARD THROUGH THE SAN BERNARDINO MOUNTAINS AND MOVE INTO THE MT. SAN JACINTO AREA BY 10 PM. SNOW LEVEL WILL BE AROUND 5000 FEET INITIALLY. LIGHT RAINFALL AMOUNTS AND UP TO 3 INCHES OF SNOW AT THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS IS EXPECTED. AREAS OF DENSE FOG WILL BE PRESENT AS WELL.

Tonight- MOSTLY CLOUDY... RAIN OR SNOW LIKELY... SNOW LEVEL 4500 FEET LOWS 28 TO 42. SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS 20 TO 30 MPH WITH LOCALLY HIGHER GUSTS. CHANCE OF MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION 70 PERCENT.

Saturday- MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH RAIN OR SNOW LIKELY... SNOW LEVEL 4000 FEET. HIGHS 36 TO 50. CHANCE OF MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION 70 PERCENT. WEST WINDS 20 TO 30 MPH. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATION 6 INCHES OR LESS ABOVE 4500 FEET.
 

Mountain Residents can pick up their mail at 195 Del Rosa in San Bernardino!
That is at the SB International Airport near the shelter.  Pick it up from 11am-6pm through 11/7/03

8:00 pm Friday - I'm answering emails as fast as I can,  please be patient.

7:00 pm Friday - Fires in Running Springs are looking positive.  Not out but being held back.  Super Foggy. 

Edison is fine with letting people back into Crestline area in 4 days.  But they are not the final authority.

Drove up from Twin Peaks to Rim forest along Bear Springs Road.  Everything looked good along the road. 

Report on the Cedar Glen Area.  Wow, what a job.  I'll try to have more later.  Very Dangerous.  Heavy Ash falling. Trees down.  Findings below.

5:20 pm Friday - Ranger Al is in Cedar Glen Right now.  I'm talking to him on the phone.  I will have an update on homes in a few minutes.

I must apologize about the emails folks.  I haven't got many out since we've been working on the burned homes update.  I am really backed up.  423 emails waiting to be answered.  I'm supposed to take my kids Trick or Treating in an hour.  Things are not looking good for that.  I have a house I can go to if I choose.  The thought of the 90,000 who don't have that ability will keep me working.  I will stay here and continue updating.  If anyone sees a 5 year old Pink Witch, a 7 year old Ninja Vampire and a 2 year old Ghost knock on their door, tell them that their dad say's hi and he loves them.

Stay out of the Big Bear Area.  The fire is close but is being kept back by the weather.  Please Evacuate.

Email notice- I would like to ask everyone to please only email me if you have a real important question or comment.  I'm not able to give information about Big Bear or Running Springs or Status of burn areas if I am busy answering the same questions over and over.  I don't mean to say that anyone is not important but at this point I must prioritize.  I am going to list not vital questions with their answers here.

4:27 pm Friday - Here is a report on the Arrowhead Villas / Crest Park Area

Arrowhead Villas.  We traveled down Arrowhead Villa Rd, Around all the side streets and up and down Kuffel Canyon.  No homes burned.

Crest Park Area- South of 18  West of 173 Near the Park/Campground  GPS 34° 13.74 N 117° 12.12 W

3:55 pm Friday- Trick or Treating in Redlands.  Starting at 5pm tonight at the LDS Church on Pioneer Street in Redlands for evacuees.

3:27 pm Friday- Crestline Village Water Company reports no damage to any of their system.

2:15 pm Friday- Skyland area in Crestline update-  Homes burnt.  Sorry it took so long to get this info to you.  It might be hard to read.  It's a mess up there.  Trees are down everywhere so we couldn't drive in but here is what we could get.

GPS of burn area- 34° 13.91 N, 117°16.99 W, 34° 18.83 N, 117°17.02 W, 34° 13.86 N, 117°17.10 W

2:00 pm Friday- CNN reports that it might be Saturday November 8 before residents are allowed to return.  I have no confirmation on dates yet.  I'm hoping its sooner.  Over 90,000 people away from their homes.  My friends and family are among you.  Try to keep spirits up.  I am trying too.  The worst part is the not knowing whether you have a home to go home to.  Many of you have found this site useful for detailed information but for the most part, people have to rely on TV news.  Let's do two things.  Let's let the Media know what we need to hear or lets get them to tell people about this site.  As long as people get the info.

Cedar Glen- We have been trying to figure out how to best help those in Cedar Glen.  Address Checking is next to impossible in that area because we can't see street names or addresses due to the fire.  So this is the plan.  Ranger Al is armed now with a GPS device.  He is going to give us the GPS coordinates around the burn area along with address's of all the homes in the burn area that are still standing.  Hopefully this will be the best way to accurately display the destroyed homes.

Running Springs-  Firemen are actively defending RS.  School is fine.

Wow, this is getting to be a real long page.  hmmm.  I think it needs a reorganization.  I think I should combine all my address that burned into one area as well.  Hmmmm.  Decisions decisions, answer more emails or reorganize. 

1:45 pm Friday - If you are here for the first time please read this column before you email me.  I just got another 150 or so emails.  I am answering as fast as I can.  I'm backed up with over 300 now.  I'm just one guy answering these.  Don't hate me if it takes me hours and hours to get back to you.  Please read this information first!!!

I just heard there are people contacting the Tonight Show to try to get Ranger Al on as a guest.  LOL.

1:00 pm Friday - Reports that fires near Hesperia are controlled.  There are a few small towers of smoke coming from the back side of the mountain but nothing big.

12:55 pm Friday - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has local "Trunk" or Treats set up at their local buildings for all those evacuees that would like to take their kids trick or treating.  They are also organizing such events in the high desert and San Diego areas.  I will post information on these as I get them.

12:30 pm Friday - A lot of emails want to know about Blue Jay.  Blue Jay is safe.  Rumors that Jenson's and the Ice Castle burned down are totally false.  North Shore area and Golf Course area is ok too. 

12:15 pm Friday - No worries about gas.  Ranger Al has 100 more gallons.  Thank you for all those who were willing to donate.

Cliffhanger update - Ocean View Drive- The addresses listed are standing but 2 houses east of 25008 have burnt as well as the house across the street from 25008.  Also the house across the street from 24988.  1 house east of 24929 burnt.  The house on the west end of Ocean View and Crest Forest Drive is burnt.  (Corvette burned in the driveway)  I must repeat the addresses listed 25008, 24988 and 24929 are still standing as well as any home that doesn't fit the descriptions I've listed.  I wish I could be more specific but even digging through the rubble, Specific address can not be found.

12:03 pm Friday - A lot of people are trying to get up the back side of the mountain.  Traffic is thick up the Cajon pass.  The roads are all blocked off and they are turning you away.  Just wanted to save you a trip if you were thinking of trying it.

Ranger Al says seeing trees that are Black on bottom and White on top from frost is really unique.  We will try to get pictures soon.

Back fires and fire breaks are actively being made in Running Springs.

Big Bear- Its getting close. 

11:11 am Friday- I have a thing with my wife to think of her every time I see the time as 11:11.  Took a quick second to call her. Now I'm back to the emails.  250 of them.  Please be patient.

Ranger Al is actively viewing homes in the cliffhanger area.  I will report as soon as I hear from him.  He then will head to Arrowhead Villas and down into the burn zone.

10:45 am Friday Morning - TWIN PEAKS NEWS - I know everyone's been wanting to know.  This is the scoop.  Do NOT get worried and read this whole paragraph.  A home at 25706 Hwy 189 in Twin Peaks has burned.  BUT......... It looks like a whole separate fire.  There is not any other homes or even forest burned near it.  The rest of Twin Peaks looks fine. 

10:20 am Friday Morning - My inbox is backing up to 200 right now.  I am typing as fast as I can.  I'm trying to keep the website updated as I do this.  Please keep your email to a minimum.  It is taking me a long time to read the emails that are 3-4 paragraphs long.  Also be as specific about property as possible.  I do know a lot about the area but just telling me a street name is hard to understand.  Each town up in the mountains can have that same street.  I'm really sorry if it takes me a long time to reply.  I am only 1 guy.  :)  Speaking of which, you may want to listen to KFI am 640 at noon.  You might recognize the guest.

10:10 am Friday Morning -I received information for any members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Ladder-Day Saints that are evacuated from the mountain area.  Services will be held at the Northpark Building in San Bernardino at 1pm on Sunday.  Any other organizations that have similar information can contact me at admin@fireupdate.com.

9:37 am Friday Morning - The fires are being beaten by firefighters in Running Springs.  I believe the structures including the Cedu schools are safe.

More info about CPP-  Just got back from a visit there.  743 sandhill and the home across the street (couldn't find address) have burned down.  This is not a recent fire but we were unable to confirm this in our visit yesterday. 

9:25 am Friday Morning - I've been asked a lot about the status of other towns.  Arrowbear, Green Valley Lake, Angelus Oaks and others.  For now these areas are safe and I haven't heard about any burning.  I will continue to update.  I just answered 30 emails but got 80 more.  :)  Fun Fun.

North Shore- If your home is on the North Shore of Lake Arrowhead please do not email me.  Homes on that side of the lake are safe.

All dangerous fires are away from CPP, VOE, Crestline, TP, RF, Blue Jay, Lake Arrowhead & Cedar Glen.

Running Springs-  Fires are very close to being under control here.  If the weather keeps up,  we will win this one.

Down the Mountain-  Areas like Yucaipa at the base of the mountain are justifiably being warned but I don't believe there is any imminent danger.

8:30 am Friday Morning - A big thank you to those who started to call me at 5am.  It'll make me think twice about ever publishing my cell phone again.  I guess I'll sleep sometime next week.  139 emails waiting for me when I arrived here at the office, 8 of which included viruses.  :)  I have to count my blessings, I still have a house.  K,  on to bigger things. 

Running Springs Front- Firemen have kept the fires down overnight.  The weather being a huge help yet still an obstacle to the firemen.  I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about.  If you've lived on the mountain for even a small amount of time, traveling around the mountain in the fog can be challenging especially for people who don't know the mountain very well.  There are still some hot spots around RS but the big uncontrollable "Wall of Flame" is no where to be seen.

Big Bear- Fire is only about 5 miles west of Big Bear right now.  Let's hope the weather can slow it down long enough let us prepare.  Good news,  we may be up for one of our first big snow storms of the season!  Wow,  what timing for these people in Big Bear.

Hesperia- From what I've heard there are still some fires around the area.  I will find out more and let you know.  On to my morning research.