Brush Fire Evacuation Orders Lifted Near Big Bear Lake, But Schools Still Closed
BIG BEAR LAKE (CBSLA.com) — Authorities on Monday afternoon lifted evacuation orders for residents living near Big Bear Lake as fire crews announced they had contained 50 percent of the 100-acre brush fire that began Sunday in the San Bernardino Mountains.
About 500 homes near Snow Summit ski resort were ordered to be evacuated by authorities Sunday evening.
Evacuations were in place for all areas south of Pennsylvania Avenue between Knickerbocker and Jeffries roads, all areas south of Oak Street between Jeffries Road and Eureka Drive and all areas south of McWhinney Lane between Eureka and Thrush drives.
An evacuation center was set up at Big Bear Convention Center, and most schools in the area were closed Monday.
While many residents left their houses as fire crews attacked the blaze from the ground and the air, a few residents chose to stick around.
"I never saw any flames," resident Nick Neuman said.
The 400 firefighters that have been dispatched to fight the blaze remain on call Monday afternoon as crews closely monitor the area for remaining embers and hot spots.
Bear Valley Unified School District schools, with the exception of Fallsvale in Forest Falls, will be closed Tuesday due to poor air quality from the blaze.
