San Bernardino County Fire Chief Dan Munsey briefs the residents of the San Bernardino National Forest on the ongoing struggle against the Line Fire in Crestline. Photo Credit: Samuel Rodriguez
On the evening of Sept. 11, 2024, a meeting was held at the San Moritz Lodge in scenic Crestline, California. A meeting in which the citizens of the San Bernardino National Forest were invited by San Bernardino County officials from the departments of fire and law enforcement to receive an official update on the status of the Line Fire. The Line Fire, which had already forced the mountain communities of Running Springs and Arrowbear Lake into a state of emergency evacuation, was now threatening neighboring communities. In the midst of so much uncertainty, this meeting was established to clarify any confusion surrounding the fire, describe potential outcomes in the ongoing process of combatting the fire, and rally the people together under the banner of hope.
Dan Munsey, Fire Chief for San Bernardino County, put many fears to rest when he said, “I am feeling pretty good tonight. The worst, I feel, is behind us.” Despite the alarming rate at which the Line Fire had grown in the afternoon hours of September 7 (over 4000 acres in a couple of hours), Fire Chief Munsey described the slow but steady work of firefighters to achieve a level of containment surrounding the fire. Only two structures had burned down and the evacuated communities were still standing. However, Munsey and other public officials warned the community that fire has an unpredictable nature. A number of factors including temperature, weather, and winds could disrupt any level of achieved containment at any time. Community members were strongly urged to have their belongings packed in the event that the fire might breach containment and an evacuation order was given. A recurring phrase throughout the evening was, “Be ready to go.”
Following these statements, a discussion was opened in which a microphone was passed throughout the audience for the community to ask questions concerning the fire. While most who received the microphone only held it to give thanks to the emergency responders, there were a few valid inquiries which brought to light some interesting revelations: the magnitude of this fire is historic with many officials in attendance describing it as something they have never seen, a suspect was arrested in connection to potential arson and starting the fire, and the fire department is already preparing for future wildfires by opening up 72 new positions and will be acquiring two new Type 2 helicopters.
By the end of the gathering, the general consensus from everyone seemed to be that everything was going to be okay. That notion seems to have held true in the days that have followed. In fact, things have gotten better with increased containment, lifting of evacuation warnings, and the reopening of closed roads. As the summer heat dies down and the firefighters push on against the Line Fire, there is no doubt in my mind that San Bernardino National Forest will remain safe.
