Firefighters quickly handle Goldmine Fire near Big Bear

Air tankers dropped water and fire retardant on the Goldmine Fire, which ignited Thursday afternoon near Big Bear Lake.

The vegetation fire was reported at about 1:30 p.m., about a quarter mile southwest of Club View and Dogwood drives, and west of Bear Mountain Ski Resort.

The Big Bear Fire Department and San Bernardino National Forest Service reported the fire at a slow to moderate rate of spread, with a potential of around 15 acres.

Just after 2 p.m., three tankers and two helicopters attacked the fire from above while firefighters worked on the ground. An hour later, fire retardant had been dropped across most of the fire, with both tankers released, according to the Fire Integrated Real-time Intelligence System.

Crew were mopping up the fire scene just before 4 p.m.

Several High Desert residents, who owned property in the Big Bear, area contacted the Daily Press for updates on the Goldmine Fire.

“After last year’s (Radford) fire, we’ve been watching the news for any fires or flooding in the Big Bear or Sugarloaf areas,” said Robert Trenton, who lives in Victorville. "The cabin has been in the family for decades and we're trying to keep it safe."

The Radford Fire was reported on Labor Day 2022, north of the residential and business areas of Big Bear Lake.

Multiple-fire agencies from the ground and air began attacking the Radford Fire, which grew quickly to 200 acres and eventually burned 1,079 acres before it was fully contained, the forest service reported.

Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227 or RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Firefighters quickly handle Goldmine Fire near Big Bear