The highlight of the Dec. 3 meeting of the Crest Forest Municipal Advisory Council was a special recognition of Aurora Damian by San Bernardino County Fire Assistant Chief Jason Serrano.
After Aurora was awakened by her grandmother and told the house next door was on fire, she called 911. But she then realized the occupants were trapped on a deck with no way to leave the fire-engulfed home. She found a ladder, took it to the house and leaned it up on the deck. This action enabled the family to evacuate before the fire department arrived, just minutes later, thus rescuing her neighbors and probably saving their lives.
Chief Serrano presented a plaque to Aurora for her heroism, bravery and courage in the face of the fire, which did destroy the structure. The fire department was able to protect the nearby homes, other structures and forest by extinguishing the fire during the nighttime blaze.
Shane Masoud of Southern California Edison (SCE) gave a special presentation informing the community on what Edison has been doing to mitigate possible wildfire danger. SCE has taken a three-pronged approach to lessen the chance of wildfires being started by their equipment. They have spent the last several years hardening the grid. They are no longer stringing bare wire but have replaced 5,900 miles of lines with covered conductor. By the end of 2025 they hope to have completed 8,000 miles. They have replaced about half the wires on the mountaintop.
Secondly, they are using technology to create situational awareness, such as installing 200 wildfire area cameras and 1,750 weather stations with equipment that enable them to predict when a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) warning needs to be issued. Edison looks at the Fire Potential Index and wind thresholds for affected areas in advance of predicted wind events.
And thirdly, Masoud said, SCE has been adding operational protocols to restructure communications and responses to mechanical breakdowns and accidents. One of their new hardware additions is a detector that de-energizes a wire before it can even hit the ground to spark a fire. Masoud played a video during his presentation demonstrating and explaining all these improvements SCE is doing for the safety of the community.
Battalion Chief Sean Markey from County Fire reminded the audience to check their chimneys before using them for the winter so a chimney fire or worse does not result from a bird’s nest or other obstruction. They’ve responded to 312 calls for service, with two recent home fires and the lodge at Pinecrest. The fire department will participate in two Christmas bonfire events this month. Chief Markey reminded folks to keep the snow cleared from around gas meters, using a soft broom or cloth.
Lt. Mauricio Hurtado of the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Station reported they made 67 arrests in November, including one for the men responsible for the murder of the egret at Lake Gregory and one of a person with a half-pound of meth. He urged everyone to watch out for porch pirates and to keep purchases out of sight in cars in parking lots.
Battalion Chief Brian Grant of the U.S. Forest Service noted the Line Fire is 98 percent contained. There are three inaccessible areas where there have been a few flareups.
Nathan Godwin of the Lake Gregory Company reported the supervisors approved dredging contracts for Lake Gregory. In addition, the Camp Switzerland sewer lift project was approved. The new restrooms around the lake are under construction. Lake Gregory was stocked with more than 6,200 pounds of trout in October and November.
Supervisor Dawn Rowe, attending by Zoom, thanked MAC members Kyle Schulty and Rick Dinon for their service; their appointments end on Dec. 31. Lewis Murray, the supervisor’s representative to the mountain communities, urged Crestline area residents to apply for those two spots as well as the spot left vacant by Penny Shubnell’s death.
Murray also explained that in 2025 the county will try a new approach to the MACs. Rather than the Crest Forest and Lake Arrowhead MACs each meeting every month, they will alternate. That will mean the agencies – such as the U.S. Forest Service, CHP and sheriff’s department – will only have to give their report once each month.
There will be no MAC meetings in January and it has not yet been determined which MAC will meet in February.
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