Summit Fire burns 100 acres; containment at 50 percent
BIG BEAR, Calif. (KABC) -- A fire that erupted near Snow Summit Ski Resort in Big Bear Sunday afternoon, prompting mandatory evacuations and road closures, has charred at least 100 acres and is 50-percent contained, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
The blaze, dubbed the Summit Fire, was reported near Pine Knot Avenue and Knickerbocker Road, south of Big Bear, at 12:25 p.m.
Mandatory Evacuations in place:
Voluntary evacuations in place:
Big Bear Valley Unified School District closed all schools on Monday, with the exception of Fallsvale School.
Forest Roads 2N06 (Radford), 1N54 (Clarks Grade), 2N93 (Wildhorse) and 2N10 (Skyline) are now closed.
Trails closed include: Towne, Skyline, Champion Lodgepole Pine, Bluff Mesa, Grandview Point and Seven Oaks.
Group Campgrounds closed include: Deer, Boulder, and Bluff Mesa.
An American Red Cross evacuation center was set up at Big Bear Convention Center, 42900 Big Bear Blvd. A shelter for small animals was set up at the San Bernardino County Animal Shetler, 19777 Shelter Way in San Bernardino.
Hundreds of homes are being threatened by the blaze, according to fire officials, who said firefighters are challenged by steep and rugged terrain, rolling debris and standing dead trees.
About 400 firefighters, four air tankers and helicopters, a dozer and water tenders were deployed to battle the blaze.
Additionally, Snow Summit turned on its snow cannons as a preventative measure.
U.S. Forest Service officials said no structures have burned nor were any injuries reported.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
