Tropical Storm Kay rain aids battle against Radford Fire, but blaze may still burn for weeks

Charlie McGee, Victorville Daily Press
·3 min read
Despite firefighting gains and evacuation orders being reduced to warnings, authorities as of Sunday had set the Radford Fire for an "estimated containment date" three weeks out, on Sept. 30.
Despite firefighting gains and evacuation orders being reduced to warnings, authorities as of Sunday had set the Radford Fire for an "estimated containment date" three weeks out, on Sept. 30.

Firefighters have made progress against a more than 1,000-acre fire south of Big Bear Lake thanks to rain from Tropical Storm Kay, but nearly three weeks of burning may still be in store before the blaze is fully contained.

The officially-dubbed "Radford Fire," first spotted near the Snow Summit Ski Resort on Labor Day afternoon, stood at about 1,079 acres with 65% of its spread contained as of Sunday morning, per an update by authorities on an InciWeb page for the fire. It fueled evacuation orders, highway and business closures, and reports of smoke by High Desert residents a few dozen miles north — all while rapidly growing at just 2% containment north of State Route 38 during its first few days.

A unified command of the U.S. Forest Service, San Bernardino County's fire and sheriff's departments, and Big Bear Fire Department got an assist from showers linked to Tropical Storm Kay that began Thursday and are expected to persist into Monday.

In turn, more than 400 personnel from those agencies were able to increase their containment of the blaze to 40% as it reached 1,088 acres Thursday night, the San Bernardino National Forest Service reported. That progress furthered with about 0.33 inch of rain falling on the fire-affected area Saturday, the InciWeb page stated.

Firefighters on Labor Day battled a vegetation fire that started near the Snow Summit Ski Resort south of Big Bear Lake.
Firefighters on Labor Day battled a vegetation fire that started near the Snow Summit Ski Resort south of Big Bear Lake.

Yet, despite further improvements over the weekend, authorities as of Sunday had set the Radford Fire for an "estimated containment date" of the end of this month, Sept. 30.

Lingering moisture is set to continue aiding the firefight "before a gradual drying trend starts on Monday," per the InciWeb page. Still, firefighters predict minimal activity and growth beyond "smoldering and creeping" for the blaze in the next couple days.

"Intermittent Wet weather will continue to limit fire spread, activity and escalation. Heavy fuels will continue to burn out within the interior of the fire," authorities said Sunday on the InciWeb page, specifying timber as the primary "fuels involved" in the blaze.

Officials last Thursday held a Radford Fire Community Meeting at Big Bear Lake City Hall where they reiterated to the public that improvements were being made, with caveats such as "we're not out of the woods" on what they called a "stubborn and complex" blaze.

Fire and other agency officials updated the public on Thursday during the Radford Fire Community Meeting at Big Bear Lake City Hall- Performing Arts Center. The meeting was streamed live on Facebook.
Fire and other agency officials updated the public on Thursday during the Radford Fire Community Meeting at Big Bear Lake City Hall- Performing Arts Center. The meeting was streamed live on Facebook.

The fire's effects on daily life have lessened as rain cuts down on its intensity.

Caltrans last Wednesday reported the wildfire had caused it to close a stretch of State Route 38, from Frontage Road in Angelus Oaks to Lakewood Drive just southeast of Big Bear City, but the agency reported Sunday that no such restrictions were still in place.

With that, the Sheriff's Department last Thursday said all evacuation orders in areas near the fire had been downgraded to evacuation warnings. The orders had previously sent people seeking shelter from three sizable regions: one in the areas of Cedar Lake, Red Ant Canyon, and Clarks Summit; one in the area of north and northeast Barton Flats; and one in the area west of Big Bear Mountain Golf Course.

"These areas are open to RESIDENTS ONLY," read a Sheriff's post on Twitter announcing the downgrade of evacuation orders to warnings. "Please use caution when returning to your homes and be mindful of emergency personnel and equipment still working in the area."

The Federal Aviation Administration has also issued a Temporary Flight Restriction for all non-firefighting flyers over areas affected by the fire. "Any private aircraft or drone that violates the TFR could face serious criminal charges," the InciWeb page reads.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. A closure remains in effect for areas of the San Bernardino National Forest that site in and around the fire, which are detailed in an active emergency order by the local USFS division.

Charlie McGee covers California’s High Desert for the Daily Press, focusing on the city of Barstow and its surrounding communities. He is also a Report for America corps member with The GroundTruth Project, an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization dedicated to supporting the next generation of journalists in the U.S. and around the world. McGee may be reached at 760-955-5341 or cmcgee@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @bycharliemcgee.

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Radford Fire may still burn for weeks, but rain softens blaze's spread