Valley Fire Latest: Containment Grows, But Crews Face Obstacles

SAN BERNARDINO NATIONAL FOREST, CA — A fire near the community of Forest Falls continues to burn Wednesday, as crews entered their sixth day of firefighting efforts. The Valley Fire is now 1,348 acres and 24 percent contained.

Here is the latest on the blaze, via the U.S. Forest Service:

Current Situation:

Fire behavior was quiet overnight. Fire containment increased to 24% since yesterday, but is not expected to increase significantly in the coming days due to steep, rugged terrain preventing firefighters from accessing many portions of the fire. Crews today will be working on chipping cleared brush along Highway 38, constructing fire line, and reinforcing and improving established containment lines. Helicopters will continue dropping water on areas of high heat within the uncontained fire perimeter. Additionally, a portable fire retardant plant has been established to support reinforcement of existing fire retardant lines. While rain yesterday decreased fire activity, fuels continue to be drier than usual for this time of year due to recent drought history. There continues to be a chance for isolated thunderstorms, presenting a risk for strong winds increasing fire activity and/or flash flooding with associated debris and mud flows. A community meeting is scheduled tonight beginning at 7:30 PM at the Angelus Oaks Fire Station.

Road Status:

• Residents of Mountain Home Village, Forest Falls, and Angelus Oaks with ID and proof of residency are allowed through the closure at Hwy 38 and Bryant Street to access their homes. A pilot car will continue to escort traffic on Hwy 38 between the Hwy 38/Valley of the Falls Drive intersection and Angelus Oaks until 7:00 PM tonight. Highway 38 will be open without a pilot car after 7:00 PM.
• Highway 38 is open from Big Bear, CA, to the intersection with Sugar Pines Circle in Angelus Oaks. All campgrounds and organizational camps in the Barton Flats and Heart Bar areas are open, however, these areas are only accessible from Big Bear, utilizing Hwy 330 to Hwy 18, and then south on Hwy 38.

Trail Closures:

All portions of the San Gorgonio Wilderness managed by USDA Forest Service are closed to entry. This includes the Momyer Trail, Vivian Creek Trail, San Bernardino Peak Trail, Forsee Creek Trail, South Fork Trail, and Aspen Grove Trail.

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Image via San Bernardino National Forest