Rain helps firefighters fight Lake Fire, but not without potential consequences
Pioneertown saw its share of rain and so did some of the massive 31,359 acre Lake Fire.
“It doesn’t put the fire out,” said Jack Horner, California Incident Management Team official, “but it sure helps give the firefighters a good chance to get in close to the edge of the fire and continue this perimeter line that we’ve got going.”
Horner said the rain should help crews in the wilderness area on the south end of the fire continue to build the containment line, which was at 65 percent as of Wednesday morning.
But as light rain helps, heavy rain can cause a new set of issues. A heavy downpour could lead to flooding, flash floods, and mudslides because of no vegetation able to hold the moisture. That loose debris then can freely fall down the mountain with nothing to stop it.
Other issues include lightning strikes like from the storms late Tuesday evening. “We’ll have a lightning storm come through like last night and we won’t see any new fires pop up from those for two to three days, maybe longer,” explained Horner. “And luckily for the communities up here, we have all these firefighters still here that will help out if we do get any new starts from lightning,” he added.
And even if the rain continues and the Lake Fire eventually gets put out, Horner said to expect smoke to continue for months afterwards. “I’m sure we’ll get a lot of calls where people say ‘hey you got a new fire’,” said Horner. “From their vantage point it looks like a new fire, but really they’re way within the fire parameters.”
Overall, the rain gives firefighters a chance to do a lot of good work and help put the $34 million fire out for good.
PLEASE BE AWARE OF CLOSURES DUE TO THE LAKE FIRE!
California Land Management Campground Facilities: Closed through AT LEAST July 9th
• Council Group CG
• Barton Flats CG
• San Gorgonio CG
• Loso / Obo CG
• South Fork CG
• Heart Bar CG
• Heart Bar Equestrian
• Skyline Group CG
• Wildhorse Equestrian CG
• Coon Creek Cabin CG
• Juniper Springs CG
• Greenspot Equestrian CG
• For additional Information, please call California Land Management at # 909-866-8550
Forest Service Facilities: Closed through AT LEAST July 9th
• All trailheads entering the San Gorgonio Wilderness
• Mission Springs CG
• Jenks Lake Day-use Area
• Barton Flats Visitor Center
• Greyback Amphitheater
• For Additional Information, Call the Big Bear Discovery Center at 909-382-2950
Forest Service Roads:
• Roads in the lower Santa Anna River area that are closed because of potential flood risk: 2N93, 2N06, 1N54, 1N94, 1N09, 1N07, 1N72, 1N04, 1N45, 1N03 • Roads within the fire area that are closed: 1N01, 2N01, 2N02, 2N04, 2N61Y, 2N62Y, 2N64Y, 2N68Y, 2N69Y 2N71Y, 2N73Y, 2N74Y, 2N75Y, 2N76Y, 2N89Y, 3N03
Recreation Residence Cabin: Owners of cabins administered by Forest Service are allowed to access their structures during the daytime, but overnight stays are not authorized at this time. This includes cabins in the Barton Flats, Stetson Creek, Round Cienega, Seven Oaks, Lost Creek, South Fork and Fish Creek tracts. Trails: All hiking trails into the San Gorgonio Wilderness Area remain closed, including Vivian, Momyer, and Big Falls trailheads in the Forest Falls Area; as well as the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) between Whitewater Preserve to Onyx Summit.
