Big Bear, CA – A smell of smoke was reported on Sunday, November 10, at 8:13 p.m. Big Bear Fire Department’s Medic Truck 281 responded to the request for an Outside Investigation. Crews rapidly identified a column of smoke in the Bear Mountain area of Big Bear Lake. Big Bear Fire Department Battalion Chief 2807 Brian Parham arrived in the area and reported smoke and flames east of Bear Mountain. Crews confirmed an initial 100 X 100 square foot vegetation fire one-half mile south of Ridgecrest Dr. and began cutting a line around it until a hose lay was complete. The location of the fire is in the same approximate vicinity of the vegetation fire that occurred in the early evening on November 2, 2019.
Crews from Big Bear Fire Department, US Forest Service, CAL FIRE and San Bernardino County Fire all worked the fire attack from the ground hiking in off Ridgecrest Dr. and Shasta Rd., with first crews arriving on-scene at 8:40 p.m. The incident is under the jurisdiction of the US Forest Service. Battalion Chief Parham remained as Incident Commander until relieved by Division 1 of the US Forest Service. The fire grew to approximately three-quarters of an acre before mop-up commenced.
Evidence of a warming fire was present. The fire is under investigation by the US Forest Service.
