Weekend rain may help firefighters as they battle Radford Fire

Note: For further updates, please refer to  story Radford Fire: Looking good, but ‘Not out of the woods.'

Radford Fire was first reported at 3:37 p.m. on Monday at Fairview Avenue and Bautista Road. The fire continues to burn north of State Route 38 and generally between Bear Mountain and Snow Summit ski resorts.

Here are the latest updates on the fire

Update 2:40 p.m. Thursday

Isolated showers associated with Hurricane Kay in the Pacific may help firefighters battling the Radford Fire, which began on Labor Day south of Big Bear Lake.

Light rain fell in the Big Bear area on Thursday morning and more is expected as the weakening hurricane near the Baja California Peninsula heads north and off the coast of Southern California.

The Radford fire on Thursday continued to hold at about 1,085 acres with 2% containment, which was reported the previous day.

“Rain still looks likely for the weekend,” said local Meteorologist Ben Brissey. “Thankfully, any lightning should be accompanied by soaking rains.”

The National Weather Service on Thursday issued a flood watch from Friday afternoon through Saturday evening for portions of Southern California, including Big Bear, the San Bernardino Mountains, Apple Valley, Lucerne Valley and the Coachella Valley.

Kay is expected to bring heavy rainfall, up to 2-inches, in areas like Big Bear, Beaumont and the Coachella Valley. The Victor Valley should pick up about an inch of rain, the NWS said.

The fire continues to burn north of State Route 38 and generally between Bear Mountain and Snow Summit ski resorts.

A public Radford Fire Community Meeting is scheduled at 3 p.m. on Thursday at Big Bear Lake City Hall- Performing Arts Center at 39707 Big Bear Boulevard. The meeting can also be viewed online at facebook.com/bigbearfire.

Update 8:30 p.m. Wednesday

The Radford fire is at 1,100 acres with 2% containment. Slightly cooler temperatures and mildly higher humidity aided firefighting efforts today.

Update 5 p.m. Wednesday

The Radford Fire has reached 1,040 acres, with an unreported containment amount, fire officials reported. The City of Big Bear Lake is encouraging visitors to postpone trips to the area until after the fire threat has passed.

Update 10:30 a.m. Wednesday

The Radford Fire has reached 990 acres, with 2% containment. Firefighters will continue to establish containment lines with support from air resources, San Bernardino National Forest officials reported.

Update 9 p.m. Tuesday

Late Tuesday evening, the Radford Fire had reached 917 acres, with 2% containment, according to San Bernardino County Fire which remains in unified command with the San Bernardino National Forest.

The fire continued to burn in heavy fuel and steep terrain. Firefighters continue to work on perimeter control, containment lines and structure defense.

The Big Bear Fire Department reported that fuel breaks created over the past decade has resulted in the fire "behaving as anticipated," along dirt road perimeters in the area.

The fire spread is contained to fuels on the ground. The focus of the work is to hold the fire at the network of Forest Service roads.

More: California avoids rolling blackouts amid record-breaking heat wave; thousands still without power

Cooling air during the evening hours will cause smoke to settle over the Big Bear Valley, and the smell of smoke may be strong.

Firefighting efforts remain active and aggressive with initial forces in place. Additional apparatus and personnel arrived throughout the day and more were en route.

Caltrans reported that State Route 330 remains open.

Update 5 p.m. Tuesday:

On Tuesday afternoon, the Radford Fire was at 646 acres, with 0% containment. Ground crews were working to construct hand-lines around the fire. There were 16 air resources making drops of fire retardant and water the National Forest Service reported.

A report of a fire near Moonridge near Big Bear Lake has included an evacuation order for the area of Club View Drive east to Angels Camp Road and Vine Avenue south to Lassen Drive. Also, Summit Boulevard east to McAllister Road east of Hwy. 18 and Fox Farm Road south to Evergreen Road.

Update 10:20 a.m. Tuesday: 

On Tuesday morning, the Radford Fire had expanded to 450 acres, with 0% containment as the fire continued to burn heavy timber south of Big Bear and north of State Route 38. Road closures and evacuation orders remain in effect. U.S. Forest Service lands in the area are closed.

On Tuesday, a shelter was opened at Big Bear High School, located at 351 Maple Lane. For assistance with animal evacuations, contact San Bernardino Co Animal and Control at 88-472-5609

Update at 11:09 p.m. Monday, Sept. 5: 

The Radford fire was mapped at nearly 333 acres, according to authorities.

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

Dubbed the Radford Fire, the blaze was first reported at around 1:30 p.m. on Monday north of the residential and business areas of Big Bear Lake, according to the San Bernardino County Fire Department.

Multiple-fire agencies from the ground and air began attacking the fire, which had grown to 200 acres, with 0% containment, just after 7:30 p.m., the U.S. Forest Service reported.

At 5:13 p.m. the fire was reported at 50 acres with no containment.

After sunset, flames from the fire were visible throughout the San Bernardino Valley. Firefighters will remain engaged throughout the night while sheriff's deputies patrol evacuated areas, SBC Fire officials said.

Several High Desert residents contacted the Daily Press to report smoke drifting into the area from the Big Bear Lake area, located in the San Bernardino National Forest.

Evacuations and road closures

At about 6:20 p.m., State Route 38 was closed in both directions from Mill Creek to Lakewood roads, Caltrans reported.

Around the same time, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department issued an evacuation order from Glass Road to South Fork River Road. The area is just north of SR-38.

On Monday evening, approximately 140 fire personnel had been assigned to the incident, with more requested.

Fairview Fire - Hemet

Update at 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday: An immediate evacuation order was issued west of Wilson Way, south of Hwy. 74, east of Fairview Avenue and north of Stetson Avenue.

An evacuation warning was also issued west of Fairview Avenue, south of Hwy. 74, north of Stetson Avenue, east of Soboba Street, Also, east of Fairview Avenue, north of Hwy. 74, south of the San Jacinto River bed and east of Wilson Way.

There is a full road closure on Hwy. 74 from Mountain Center to Borco Street.

The Fairview Fire has been declared a local emergency. The proclamation is pending approved by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors, which will meet on Tuesday. Approval could open the door for federal and state funding and cost reimbursement, the county said.

The fire has killed two family members, prompted evacuations and shuttered schools in the Hemet Unified School District. About 2,000 structures are threatened.

“The fire’s burning in all directions, on all flanks,” said Cal Fire Chief Josh Janssen during a news conference on Wednesday.

Update at 5 p.m. on Wednesday: The Fairview Fire has reached 9,846 acres with 5% containment.

In the Hemet area, an evacuation order was issued south of Cactus Valley Road, north of Minto Way, north of Red Mountain Road, west of the U.S. Forest Service boundary and east of Sage Road.

An evacuation warning was issued east of Red Mountain Road and the Cahuilla Mountain U.S. Forest Service boundary. South of Minto Way, south of Red Mountain Road, west of Stanley Road, north of Stanley Road and east of Sage Road.

Update at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday: The Fairview Fire has reached 7,091 acres with 5% containment. Evacuation orders and warnings remain in place, according to Cal Fire.

Update at 5 p.m. on Tuesday: The Fairview Fire had increased to 4,500 acres with 5% containment. Evacuation orders and warnings remain in place.

Update: On Tuesday morning, the Fairview Fire had increased to 2,965 acres.

An evacuation order was initially issued for 1,584 homes in the area bound roughly by State Street to the west, Thornton Avenue to the north, Fairview Avenue to the east, and Polly Butte Road to the south.

The order was later expanded Monday evening to the area south of Stetson Avenue, north of Cactus Valley Road, west of Fairview Avenue, and east of State Street. It remained in effect Tuesday.

Update at 11:04 p.m. Monday, Sept. 5:

The Fairview Fire was mapped at 2,702.5 acres. Two people were killed and another was injured, according to authorities

In Riverside County, fire agencies on Monday continued to  battle the Fairview Fire south of Hemet. The fire included an evacuation order.

Residents were requested to vacate south of Thornton Avenue, north of Polly Butte Road, west of Fairview Avenue and east of State Street, CalFire reported.

The blaze, which was first reported at 3:37 p.m. on Monday at Fairview Avenue and Bautista Road, had reached 500 acres and was “burning at a rapid rate of spread,” Cal Fire reported.

Just after 8 p.m., the fire was reported at 700 acres and was 5% contained.

These stories are developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.

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: Radford Fire near Big Bear Lake at 1,100 acres, 2% containment