Line Fire Update 9/15/24

Dear Camp Supporters: 

Right when I take a breath and feel my shoulders relax a bit, the air is sucked right out of me!  There has been an unfortunate turn of weather events on the mountain.  Winds have come up higher than expected, causing the fire to jump the line on the east side of Bear Creek area, and it has made a couple runs upwards towards Big Bear.  The spread beyond the fire line was stopped after a few hours, but some dozer and hand line work were lost and had to be reconstructed. One thing is for certain; conditions can change rapidly one way or the other during this phase of the fire.

Joe Warner at the Boy Scout Camp prepared the following update today.

Fire update:   Primary line is now in place on 90% of the eastern flank and additional secondary lines are being added. The main fire is now 4 to 4.5 miles from Camp.

Additionally, the Weather Service has updated its forecast that in advance of the frontal passage expected Monday, today will be drier and windier than expected. Southern-westerly winds of 20 MPH with gusts to 30 MPH are expected by late afternoon, with temperatures dropping to 41 degrees tonight at 6,000 ft.   After yesterday’s experience, there is concern among fire managers for significant movement of the fire up the Santa Ana drainage towards Seven Oaks.  Such spread would bring fire closer towards Camp and Big Bear. Additional firefighting resources are being brought in this morning because of that contingency.

The moisture expected with the passing system Monday will be low, enough to dampen roads and enough to turn on your windshield wipers, but not enough to stop fire growth in drought stressed fuels, especially on the chaparral covered slopes to the north of Camp. The odds are 50-50 today that the line will be held, but it may also make a major run should it get a chance.  Wish for the best!

I am genuinely appreciative of Joe’s “almost” daily reports.  Joe got special permission to remain in his camp to be of support to local agencies as well as lend support to the evacuated camps by keeping them updated.  He has been our ears up on the mountain top.  Boy Scout Camp Tahquitz covers 640 acres and sits on both sides of hwy 38 covering ground north to the Santa Ana River near Seven Oaks, and the camp boundary meets up with Jenks Lake Road west.  The Boy Scouts are our good neighbors across the street.  They have a huge parcel of wild land full of mighty ponderosa, spreading oak, brush and chaparral.  Most of their developments sit close to highway 38 on both sides of the highway.

In report # 4, I mentioned the future need for volunteers to help clean up camp and work on some maintenance issues upon our return. Please sign up here if you would like to be called to action when the time is right. 

I also mentioned the need to increase the number of people participating in our monthly giving program. What better time than now to sign up for monthly giving while the camp is on your mind and in your heart. My guess is that so many of us are capable of supporting camp financially on some level, we just got busy and neglect to sign up.

•  $10 per month = $120 per year
• $25 per month = $300 per year
• $50 per month = $600 per year
• $100 per month = $1200 per year

Be a part of the monthly giving program.  I can guarantee that a robust monthly giving program, bringing in $150,000 a year or more, is what is going to support the camp through a crisis—fire, hurricane, mud flows, road closures, in years to come.  Click here to become a monthly donor.

The monthly giving program has become the lifeblood of camp, especially during the El Dorado and Covid closures.  It shores up operations year-round and helps us to meet base monthly expenses when we are in crisis.

The news today is worrisome and with only 4.5 miles between us and the fire, things can go either way.  Thanks to so many of you for responding with email support and for sharing your thoughts on what the camp means to you.  De Benneville Pines has been a home away from home for many generations of campers.  Keep the positive energies flowing to the mountain top. We need them now!

In deep gratitude,

Janet James
Executive Director
director@uucamp.org