Bummer...Fire Butler Peak Hanna Flats

[dstepper]

A 200-acre fire is burning to the north of Butler Peak near Hanna Flats. The so-called "Butler 2 Fire" was reported around 1:25 pm this afternoon. Officials have ordered a mandatory evacuation for Camp Whittle and Hanna Flats Campground. Polique Canyon Road in Fawnskin has been closed. Resources are deployed around the Hanna Flats area to monitor the northeastern side of the fire. Aircraft report that the head of the fire is less than one-quarter mile wide with a few small spots less than one acre each.


The fire is reported to be about one-quarter mile south of Hanna Flats Campground. It is burning north toward the campground and Camp Whittle, but, reportedly, has slowed its forward progress. The air attack chatter seems more confident about their progress fighting the fire. However, ground crews and helicopters attacking spots near Hanna Flats are concerned about holding the fire south of the campgrounds.

NOTE: This is the very popular Area 51 Grout Bay Singletract area...hoping for the best.

[jeffj]

Some of the best XC singletrack in the area and beautiful too. Hopefully they get a handle on it quick. Thanks for the report.

[surlygal]

I always worry when there's fire up in BB, So many people live up there full time.

[Chopper]

I rode the Grout Bay single track for the first time last week and I was planning on taking some friends up there to share it this Sunday.
Where can I get updates?

[Johnny Dirt]

Hope they get it under control fast. I love that place.

[dstepper]

Originally Posted by Chopper

I rode the Grout Bay single track for the first time last week and I was planning on taking some friends up there to share it this Sunday.
Where can I get updates?

Robin, I am surprized you missed that trail for so long it is a beauty.

Updates rimoftheworld.net

Lastest:

A several hundred acre forest fire is burning to the north and east of Butler Peak near Hannah Flats. The latest official estimate from the San Bernardino National Forest places the fire at 300 acres, according to Tracey Martinez, from the San Bernardino National Forest. However, scanner reports from aircraft over the fire have roughly estimated it between 400 to 500 acres. The so-called "Butler 2 Fire" was reported around 1:25 pm Friday afternoon. Driven by 20 to 30 MPH winds from the south, it quickly spread into the trees.

Shortly after 8 PM Friday, the fire reportedly "slopped over" the fire lines and began burning south toward Highway 18 renewing concerns that the highway will be closed. Motorists traveling to or from the Big Bear area are strongly encouraged to be take Highway 38 to access the resort community. Big Bear Lake and Big Bear City are not currently threatened by this fire, and the fire is burning away from populated areas.

[Chopper]

[quote=dstepper;105680]Robin, I am surprized you missed that trail for so long it is a beauty.quote]

Yea I'm surprised I have never been there. When ever I went up to that area I always ended up riding the SART or the trails on the south side of the lake. Then a couple of weeks ago I camped on the north shore for a few days and just checked out trails on that side. I rode down Grout Bay then took the spur out to Greys Peak. I guess we won't be doing that again anytime soon.

[dstepper]

I am hoping the fire missed the single track area. Maybe Ghixon can wander over there and give us an update.

[jeffj]

[quote=Chopper;105753]

Originally Posted by dstepper

Robin, I am surprized you missed that trail for so long it is a beauty.quote]

Yea I'm surprised I have never been there. When ever I went up to that area I always ended up riding the SART or the trails on the south side of the lake. Then a couple of weeks ago I camped on the north shore for a few days and just checked out trails on that side. I rode down Grout Bay then took the spur out to Greys Peak. I guess we won't be doing that again anytime soon.

Another one to check out is one that starts right across the street from the Serrano CG is to go up Polique Canyon and come down Cougar Crest trail. The top half of Cougar Crest is rocky and fun. Consult a GOOD map or pm me for details as it is a tad tricky to find your way the first time.

[Johnny Dirt]

Originally Posted by dstepper

I am hoping the fire missed the single track area. Maybe Ghixon can wander over there and give us an update.

I'll be heading up there next weekend (22nd-24th) with my wife. I'll tell you what I see, but Ghixon will probably report sooner.

[springrubber]

Grout Bay is my favorite trail by far and I have Dean to thank for that. I rode it for the first time for his Birthday and have been back on my own once since then. I plan to ride it for my Birthday next month!

[surlygal]

Talked to my family this am, they said you could see the flames from the deck last night. This am they were eating breakfest at IHop (in town across the lake from Fawnskin) they said it was bad and looked to be getting worse. My brother said the winds picked up about 8 am today and they were having gusts up to 30 mile an hr. Fortunalty with the lake so close by, they'll get water drops more often.
I hope they get a handle on it soon.

[SIZE=2]Butler Fire #2 (9/15 @ 10:45 am)[/SIZE]
6000 acres
MANDATORY EVACUATION OF FAWNSKIN
Moving North-Eastward towards Holcomb Valley

LIVE SCANNER CLICK HERE

This is from a local forum up in BB.

[dstepper]

I will post pics taken from the top of Wright Mountain across to Big Bear in my ride report. When we left Wrightwood at 3pm the Sheriff told me that the winds had changed from the AM and pushed the fire all the way down to the dam. Houses have been lost and evacutions are happening...does not look good up there.

Moving Notheatern from Butler Peak pushs it right across Grout Bay Singletrack and Grays Peak.

A very sad

[surlygal]

Originally Posted by dstepper

A very sad

I agree, Thanks for the update

[Waldo]

Evening news says 18,000 acres now, with zero percent contained. From the maps and aerial shots, it looked to be burning mostly NE up the hill from the Fawnskin area, but on the other end it's also pushing SW towards Green Valley Lake. It seems to be burning most of the length of 2N13, including Butler Peak (hope the old fire tower survives). If the fire gets into the canyon at GVL, there could easily be hundreds of homes lost there (including a friend's) as it is quite dense and not very defensible, so keep your fingers crossed. This one could get very bad

As of this evening, evacuations are mandatory for Fawnskin and Green Valley, and voluntary for Running Springs (!). No evac of Big Bear, but the highway is closed up through Running Springs and up to the lake.

[dstepper]

Lastest updated:
8:35 PM - In a telephone conversation with Jim Wilkins, Public Information Officer, San Bernardino County Fire, the Butler 2 Fire is 5% contained and consumed 13,829 acres. The total acreage was decreased due to better mapping. The fire is currently holding one and one half miles from Green Valley Lake as favorable, southwest winds are pushing flames away from the area. On the east flank, firefighters are in "protection mode" in Fawnskin.


Wilkins said, "Hanna Flats Campground has been destroyed. One outbuilding at the YMCA Camp Whittle was also destroyed; however, the camps were saved.

The fire is burning in heavy, fifty to one hundred year old fuels.

"We got out butts kicked today," said one of the air attack pilots as the aircraft returned to their base on Saturday evening at approximately 7:15 pm. "Tomorrow should be interesting." With the onset of darkness, all flight operations on the Butler 2 Fire have been suspended for the day. As the sun sets, some changes in localized wind direction will cause some to drift to areas previously unaffected. Residents in areas of Running Springs through Lake Arrowhead may smell some drift smoke from the fire.

As of 6:40 pm, there have been no changes to the evacuation orders. So far news reports indicate that one structure — possibly an outbuilding — has been lost at the YMCA owned Camp Whittle. One firefighter suffered minor injuries after tripping on a pothole.

As of 3 pm, the Sheriff's Department has issued a voluntary evacuation has from downtown Running Springs eastward through Arrowbear. Mandatory evacuation remain in place for Holcomb Valley, Fawnskin, and all of Green Valley Lake. Highway 18 has been closed between Big Bear Dam and Highway 330 in Running Springs.

An evacuation center has been established at the Jerry Lewis Community Center in Highland for Running Springs, Arrowbear, and Green Valley Lake residents and campers. An evacuation center has been setup at the Big Bear High School in Sugarloaf for Fawnskin residents.


Still very sad

[Burner]

Damn, that sucks.

[surlygal]

As most of you know my family and I have a 2nd home in Big Bear and spend most weekends up there - I did not go up this weekend as I hosted the most recent Newbie ride.

Here are some pictures of the fire that my mother took while they were on the lake Sat afternoon.

My dad said, the fire never made it past the tree line you see, Yes Hanna Flats is destroyed. Not sure about Grey's Peak, but the trail head for sure is untouched - it's on the lake.

Maybe Dean can shed some light as to the other trails that may be affected from these pictures.

Pray for the all the people that have homes in Fawnskin, that their lives will go untouched and they will be able to return to their homes safely.

[OTHRIDER]

My in-laws live just below Summit and are still real calm. Good photos Surlygal!

Here's a link to a topo map with a highlighted overlay showing the area consumed so far. You will need to toggle the screen to get to the fire section.

http://socalmountains.com/e107_plugi...opic.php?29785

[jcampbell]

[quote=jeffj;105774]

Originally Posted by Chopper

Cougar Crest is rocky and fun. Consult a GOOD map or pm me for details as it is a tad tricky to find your way the first time.

definitly.... sometimes cougars are rough and rocky. They been around for a while. You never know what you'll get till you get them home. Some of them do need maps, and booze brings out the tricks.