Economic Recovery for Idyllwild one year after the Mountain Fire

A year after the devastating Mountain Fire that destroyed more than 27-thousand acres in the San Jacinto Mountains and the San Bernardino National Forest, businesses in the small town of Idyllwild have seen an increase in sales this summer.

Not only are tourists back, but according to the owner and publisher of the mountain newspaper, weekends are crowded.

This wasn’t the case last summer after the Mountain Fire burned for 16 days getting dangerously close to the quaint town. Residents and businesses were forced to evacuate at one point. Firefighters and a change in the weather kept the blaze at bay and the town was saved.

But, weeks after the threat was over, people were not coming up the hill to patronize the shops, restaurants and everything else Idyllwild has to offer. Most business owners were able to ride it out, but according to Becky Clark, Publisher of the Town Crier, about a half dozen shut down over the past year.

Clark is quick to point out that the fire may not have been the sole reason for the failed businesses. The good news is the town is thriving again.