By DOUGLAS W. MOTLEY
Senior Writer
The devastating Line Fire, so named for its starting point at Baseline Road and Aplin Street in the hills above Highland, appears to be winding down its path of fiery destruction.
Bulldozers cut a dozer line in Daley Canyon from Highway 18 to the east flank of the Line Fire.
As of Sunday, Sept. 15 some 4,100 firefighters had managed to achieve 36-percent containment of the 38,421-acre firestorm by employing hand crews to mop up smoldering hot spots in the lower foothill region of the stubborn blaze.
According to Big Bear radio station KBHR (93.3 and 102.5 FM) on Sunday, hot spots in the steep and rugged terrain of the northeastern sector of the blaze toward Big Bear continued to produce glowing embers and acrid smoke, making it difficult for hand crews to safely access the area. However, helicopters were being employed to make water drops, with the goal of intercepting the fire as it approaches more defensible areas where bulldozers and hand crews have cut access lines, which can also serve as firebreaks.
One such line was cut on Friday, Sept. 6 when two bulldozers created a so-called “dozer line” eastward from Highway 18 in the vicinity of Daley Canyon, between Rimforest and Rim High School, with the goal of enabling more equipment and crews to be sent to the eastern flank of the blaze.
On Saturday, residents to the west of Highway 173 in Lake Arrowhead and Crestline received the alert that their evacuation warning had been lifted; it remained in place for the residents to the west. Running Springs, Arrowbear and Green Valley Lake remained under an evacuation order, which was changed to an evacuation warning on Sunday afternoon.
On Sunday, Highway 18, which had been closed to the east from Kuffel Canyon to Big Bear dam, was reopened. A message on Facebook from Caltrans indicated that Highway 330 would most likely remain closed for months while repairs were made; assessment of the damage will likely take one to two weeks, they said.
Mother Nature, in the form of a predicted rainstorm on Monday, may also lend a hand in quelling the last vestiges of this blazing inferno. Less optimistic were Cal Fire Operations Section Chief Jeremey Pierce and Big Bear Fire Chief Jeff Willis who, on Sunday, expressed cautious optimism that they have the upper hand on the blaze but reminded residents that the fire is not out yet.
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