Only in the MOUNTAINS

E T Russell ____ Well, it didn’t rain on our Parade!     

The Valley’s Visitors and Big Bear Valley Residents were hoping and praying for a good rain, to brighten-up our receding Big Bear Lake and the thirsty but naturally beautiful foliage.

Friday evening one wish was granted, when the Valley got intermittent showers that freshened the air. Old Miners Parade planners and entry volunteers were either in transit to the mountains or busy in backyards decorating their floats for the Saturday morning event. Many, at the Big Bear Elks Lodge on Village Drive where they collected to line-up for the march through the Village of Big Bear Lake, were heard exchanging stories of the night’s lightning show.

The second wish was granted when approximately 40 entries paraded down Village Drive and Pine Knot Avenue, without any rain drops!    

But there’s one thing we mountain-folk know – when the heavens roll loudly with thunder there’s always lightning striking somewhere in the San Bernardino Mountains.

San Bernardino National Forest

 “Caring for the land and serving people.”

Bob Poole, Forest Protection Officer, Forestry Technician reported Saturday morning:  

As of early this morning there are three lightning caused fires in the State Route 38.  One fire is near Onyx Summit, a second fire tree fire was located Poop-out Hill and the other near Barton Flats.  All fires are confined to single trees. Air attack was assigned to the San Bernardino National Forest area.

(Scanners that normally immediately keep the fire departments, law enforcement and media alerted to incidents, have been down. We suspect because of the many power outages that occurred during the thunder and rainstorm, that probably caused a great difficulty in communications.)