Networking Season Begins With First Big Bear Chamber of Commerce Mixer; SBNFA Hosts 5pm Event at Northwoods

Big Bear Lake, CA — Springtime marks the start of the Big Bear Chamber of Commerce’s mixer season, so starting this evening and most second and fourth Tuesdays, there will be networking opportunities. The first of the mixers will be hosted by the San Bernardino National Forest Association at Northwoods Resort today, April 13, from 5 to 7pm. The SBNFA’s Executive Director Sarah Miggins and staff will be on hand during the event, providing information on the ForestCare landowner assistance program (which offers reimbursement up to 75% for those who create defensible space on their property by tree thinning), as well as the mission of SBNFA, which is to address forest conservation through restoration, environmental education and responsible recreation. The Big Bear Chamber of Commerce mixers are free to Chamber-member businesses, and non-members are also welcome at a cost of $5. Upcoming mixers, on the schedule that extends through November, include May 11 at Mountain Fitness Center, May 25 at the Bowling Barn, and June 8 at Alpine Slide. For more information, call the Chamber at 866-4607 or visit BigBearChamber.com.

Fire Department Hosts First of Three Defensible Space Workshops on Tuesday, April 13

Big Bear Lake, CA – The Big Bear Lake Fire Department is once again hosting general workshops on defensible space, and the first of these, being held tomorrow, is open to all landscapers, nursery owners, property managers, and handymen, as well as homeowners who want to know how to make their property more fire-safe. The workshops hosted by the fire department will teach attendees how to create defensible space, step-by-step, covering fire safety that not only includes the front, back and side yards, but also from a structure’s foundation to the rooftop. The first of three defensible space workshops is offered free of charge on Tuesday, April 13, from 4 to 6pm; subsequent workshops will be offered on Tuesdays, April 20 and 27, and all three will be held at the Big Bear Lake Fire Department, located at 41090 Big Bear Boulevard. For additional information, or to RSVP for the two-hour session, call David Yegge at the fire department at 866-7566.

Smoke May Be Visible; Forest Service Resumes Pile Burning Near Angelus Oaks

Angelus Oaks, CA — Given favorable weather conditions, firefighters with the San Bernardino National Forest are once again working on hazardous fuels removal today. Debris piles are being burned in the Angelus Oaks area, off Highway 38 today, so there is the likelihood that smoke may be visible to the southeast of the Big Bear Valley, as well as for those on Highway 38 and even on Highway 18 in the Running Springs area. Firefighters will be on hand during the burning operations, which will only continue as weather and conditions permit. The hazardous fuels pile burning in the Angelus Oaks area is part of the ongoing community fire protection efforts by the U.S. Forest Service on the San Bernardino National Forest.

Smoke from Hazardous Fuels Pile Burns Off Highway 38 May Be Visible

Crews from the U.S. Forest Service did some hazardous fuels pile burns in the Angelus Oaks area yesterday, so some residual smoke may still be visible from the Big Bear Valley. At this time [8am], additional pile burning was not scheduled to be taking place today but, again, some smoke may be visible in the vicinity of Barton Flats off Highway 38.

Smoke May Be Visible, Due to Forest Service Pile Burns Off Highway 38

Smoke may be visible from the Big Bear Valley this afternoon, as the U.S. Forest Service is conducting hazardous fuels pile burns in the Barton Flats area off Highway 38. Pile burns on the National Forest will continue through the winter months, and smoke may again be visible tomorrow, if weather conditions allow for continued work in the Barton Flats area.
Update: Pile burns will continue in the Barton Flats area on Friday, December 4.

Four Residential Fires Over Holiday Weekend Prompt Reminder to “Check Your Hot Spots”

Two residential fires in two days over the holiday weekend—potential causes cited as hot ashes on a wooden deck and a fireplace unit—have prompted the Big Bear City Fire Department to remind Valley residents and homeowners to “check your hot spots!” December, January and February are the leading months for home fires and, on average, more than one-third of U.S. home fire deaths occur during the winter months. Per the National Fire Protection Association, home heating fires are most commonly caused by inadequate chimney cleaning; the placement of flammable items too close to heaters, including portable and space heaters; fueling errors involving liquid or gas-fueled heaters; and flaws in the design, installation or use of heating equipment. However, according to Fire Chief Jeff Willis, “The good news is that most of these fires are preventable. It is simply a matter of being aware that these hazards exist, and taking the few steps necessary to avoid them.” Fire officials recommend having all home heating systems and chimneys inspected annually and cleaned, if necessary, before the start of each heating season. If you use space or portable heaters, keep anything that can burn—including people, pets and furniture—at least three feet away. Be sure to turn heaters off when leaving the room or before going to sleep; heating appliances should be equipped with built-in safety devices that prevent overheating or shut down if tipped over. And, especially important to note: Fireplace and barbecue ashes must be placed in a metal container with a tight-fitting lid and soaked with water.
Per the Bear City Fire Department, which lists these safety tips on their website, four calls over the holiday weekend were due to chimney and/or flue related incidents; hot ashes on a wooden deck (resulting in $150,000 worth of damage to a home on Barrett Way on Thanksgiving); and a fireplace unit that had pulled from the wall, igniting structural components (and resulting in $100,000 damage to a home on Mt. Doble). An earlier fire (on November 7), prompted by hot ashes on a wooden deck, burned two homes in Lake Williams, leaving two families homeless.

Helicopters to Be Used for SBNF Fuels Reduction and Tree Removal in Crestline Area

If in the vicinity of Crestline or the Miller Canyon area in the coming two weeks, you can expect to see helicopters overhead. As of today, November 11, the San Bernardino National Forest is using helicopters as part of a fuel reductions project; helicopters are removing trees and slash in areas inaccessible by conventional tree removal methods and flying the logs to a staging point or landing. According to new District Ranger Scott Tangenberg, “Favorable weather has allowed the work in Miller Canyon to progress, and we will continue the work as long as conditions allow it. These projects are all part of the continuing effort by the San Bernardino National Forest to reduce fuels around the mountain communities.” The Forest Service notes that while this type of logging is interesting for the public to observe, it could be dangerous to go hiking around the operation site, so the public is cautioned and asked to view from safe, distant vantage points. This logging project, using helicopters, will be ongoing in November and will be conducted in the Miller Canyon area north of Crestline, and east of Silverwood Lake and Highway 138 and along Old Mill Road. (And, just a reminder, today is a Fee Free Day on the San Bernardino National Forest, in honor of Veterans Day, so no Adventure Pass will be required for those recreating in the forest.)

Fawnskin Joins Big Bear Lake and Big Bear City as a Firewise USA Community; Ceremony and Potluck Planned for November 9

The North Shore community’s efforts toward maintaining defensible space and reducing wildfire risk have resulted in Fawnskin being honored as a Firewise USA Community, a distinction shared with just 33 other communities within California, including Big Bear City and the City of Big Bear Lake. Firewise USA is a nationwide program formed in 2002 and this year’s 2009 honor is a first for Fawnskin, which will celebrate the distinction with a presentation hosted by the North Shore Improvement Association on Monday. Representatives from CalFire are scheduled to be in attendance at the November 9 celebration and potluck, to present Fawnskin’s Honorary Mayor Dave Hough with the 2009 Firewise USA Community award. The public is welcome to attend the event, to take place at 5:45pm at the old school house in Fawnskin’s Miller Park, located at 1178 Chickasaw. For more information on the November 9 potluck or presentation, contact Lori Gardiner of the North Shore Improvement Association at 878-4220.

Fire Chief Willis to Address Defensible Space in Saturday Meeting of Sugarloaf Property Owners Association

Big Bear City Fire Department Chief Jeff Willis will speak on defensible space, and other fire-related issues, during tomorrow’s meeting of the Sugarloaf Property Owners Association. The monthly meeting, which is open to all Valley residents, takes place at the Sugarloaf Fire Station, at the corner of Maple and Baldwin Lanes, at 10am on the 24th. Following Chief Willis’s presentation, the public is invited to participate in a Q&A session at the Sugarloaf Property Owners Association meeting, which will also include refreshments and an opportunity drawing.

Forest Service Will Present Fuels Reduction Project During City’s Fire Protection District Meeting

The City of Big Bear Lake’s Fire Protection District will meet tomorrow morning, October 14, at a new time and a new place—the meeting of the Fire Protection District, which is overseen by City Council, will take place at the Big Bear Lake Fire Department, at 41090 Big Bear Boulevard, and has been moved up to an 8:15am start time. Tomorrow morning’s agenda will include the fire department’s monthly report as well as an update on activities undertaken during Fire Prevention Week, which wrapped on Saturday. Representatives from the Mountaintop District of the San Bernardino National Forest will also be on hand, as they are scheduled to give a presentation on forest fuels reduction, and plans to implement the Bluff Mesa Hazardous Fuel Reduction project; the District proposes to reduce fire risk to the community and improve forest health on 1,600 acres on the Bluff Mesa area around Bluff Lake, which is off Forest Service Road 2N10 near Champion Lodgepole Pine on the Valley’s south ridge a couple miles west of Snow Summit.

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