Evacuation in the face of Big Bear's Lake Fire

Are you becoming bored with the media constantly harping on about California's current drought conditions? Are you a little tired of hearing over and over that this year is the one in which you should ensure you are prepared for an emergency if you haven't done so before now? After all, what really are the chances that we may be struck by or endangered by wildfire? Well, in the middle of June a group of BVS residents took a trip up to Wildhorse Equestrian Camp and ended up discovering exactly how important it is to be ready for an emergency, anytime, anyplace, anywhere!

Anticipating a wonderful and relaxing vacation during which we would ride along the Big Bear equestrian trails, we set off on Monday morning to drive to Wildhorse Campground, in San Bernadino National Forest, perched high up in the mountains. Little did we suspect how exciting the trip would turn out to be! The first couple of days were spent riding on wonderful trails with stunning views. The evenings were filled with jokes and camaraderie back at camp.

Prophetically, as it turned out, one afternoon a member of the group happened to mention that, with the abundance of dry vegetation and the number of fallen trees scattered everywhere that we had encountered (Big Bear has also fallen victim to the dreaded Bark Beetle due to the current drought conditions), should a wildfire start in the vicinity, the mountain would "explode". There was a murmur of general agreement, and the conversation turned to other topics.

The following day, upon returning to camp after a long ride along a trail that clings to the side of the mountain, we tended to our horses and ate a hearty dinner. Outdoor activities always seem to stimulate a good appetite! In the cool of the evening, we took our dogs for a walk but, upon turning back towards camp, we noticed, from behind a distant ridge, smoke drifting up and covering the setting Sun. I immediately contacted my husband using my cell phone and asked him to find out how close the fire was to us, and as much other information as he could gather. Remember, accurate information in an emergency is always invaluable to help make good, informed decisions that will keep you safe! I asked him to send texts as well as emails with the information, as cell coverage in the mountains had proved spotty. It was hit and miss whether texts or calls would get through. He referenced Fire Department websites that provided the most accurate and up to date information.

The Importance of Accurate Information

It was ascertained that the fire was some 10 miles distant from our location, and covered a mere 25 acres. We could see a plethora of helicopters and a number of planes in the air attacking the fire. There was a lake close by to the blaze, so the Fire Department aircraft had easy access to water. We also learned that ground crews were actively trying to defeat the flames.

We returned to camp and discussed the situation. The general consensus was that it would have perhaps been overreacting to evacuate immediately. Also, the winds which had blown strongly all day had died down at sunset. Added to which, there was no immediate evidence to suggest that the fire was being driven in our direction anyway. With luck, the fire crews would have everything under control before sunrise. We relaxed in camp and continued to monitor the situation. Just before turning in, however, we learned that the fire was now 50 acres. Surely not a big deal, and certainly no cause for unnecessary alarm? It was, however, a tad troubling that, despite the massive efforts being thrown at it, the fire had doubled in size since we had first noticed it.

Prudent Preparation

All things considered it seemed prudent to be prepared to leave at a moment's notice – just to be on the safe side. It is interesting how much gear one can have scattered around a campsite even if just staying for a few days! Packing up methodically and without haste took a little while but was well worth the effort as it turned out. Then we turned in to try and get some rest.

Unfortunately, the winds started to pick up again and, by 4 a. m., the wildfire was no longer just a distant glow. Flames had crested an adjoining ridge some distance away and were now visible from our location. The now named 'Lake Fire' was already beyond the control of the valiant, battling firefighters. It had spread to cover around 1,000 acres in those few, short hours! The air was thick with acrid smoke, and large ashes had started to rain down on the campsite. The unanimous decision was that it would be the wisest course of action to evacuate promptly to avoid any possibility of becoming endangered or trapped by the now approaching flames.

I was proud of our BVS group who quickly, calmly and efficiently set to work to pack up a few remaining items, and made ready to depart with a minimum of fuss. Everyone checked with everyone else to find out if any assistance were needed. Within a very short space of time, all were prepared to load up their horses and head out.

Stay Calm

Interestingly, although we were all calm, the horses had started to become excited and restless in their pens. There were whinnies and neighs crying out through the darkness. If any of you have been to Emergency Preparedness presentations that discuss evacuating with large animals, you will know that the topic of loading into trailers under difficult circumstances is always discussed. It is pointed out that, in an emergency, it may be necessary to load horses in the dark, with smoke thickening the air, maybe even with ashes raining down – the very conditions with which we were now dealing! We really were to take the 'acid test' and find out if our horses would load up without trouble in less than ideal conditions! Fortunately (and I believe it was more to do with experience and training than luck), all of our horses loaded up without fuss.

Many Hands Make Light Work

It was discussed amongst the group as to whether we should travel in convoy, or stagger our departure from the campground so as to facilitate the smooth flow of evacuating traffic trying to descend from the mountain. Initially we thought it would be a good idea to set off at intervals so we would not cause a traffic bottleneck, but it then occurred to us that to convoy might be a better idea. After all, if one of us had a problem when alone, such as a puncture, it could take a long time to resolve the problem. As 'many hands make light work', if all the members of the group rendered assistance in such a scenario, the problem would be solved in a much shorter space of time.

We had no idea what the traffic conditions on the road would be like, and we took into account that, if there were a large number of vehicles fleeing the scene, then the road would be crowded and the flow of traffic would probably be slow anyway. It was decided to caravan together. As it turned out, there was very little traffic, apart from First Responders' vehicles, on the roads.

Our convoy started to pull out of the campsite. As the last couple from BVS headed off, they happened to notice two ladies who had children with them, who did not seem prepared to evacuate at all. Despite the fact that the flames could be seen heading towards camp, the ladies were in utter chaos. Their thought processes were neither logical nor practical. One was stuffing hay into hay nets - and their vehicle was not even hitched up to their trailer! Cheryl and George stopped to offer assistance. Shortly thereafter Sheriffs' Officers arrived and told everyone they had only 15 minutes to evacuate. They asked if anyone required assistance, whereupon the BVS residents, with the help of another camper who had also noticed that the ladies were in distress, told the Sheriffs' Officers that they had it covered. By dint of hurriedly hitching up the trailer, and hurling all their gear and equipment in, the ladies were assisted to the point where they could depart before actually being in any material danger.

As we left the Wildhorse Campsite, we had to drive for a short distance paralleling the line of the wildfire. It was rather nerve wracking to drive along with the fire line clearly visible at a distance off to the side of the road. Fortunately in only a few short miles we were clear of any threat of danger. As we descended the mountain, daybreak lightened the sky. Looking back from a safe distance, vast plumes of smoke cloaking the mountain ridges could be seen trailing along the horizon. It was amazing to see how much smoke one fire could make!

Educate Yourself

Assisting others at the campsite who were not prepared was an interesting experience for Cheryl and George. They found it mindboggling to realize that someone could be in a potentially highly dangerous situation, but have no clear idea of how to save themselves! Hopefully those ladies will now make efforts to educate themselves on how to be prepared for emergencies to ensure the safety of themselves and their children in future potentially dangerous situations. Their lack of ability to cope with the situation endangered not only themselves and their children, but could have potentially endangered those who rendered assistance, including First Responders. Congratulations to our residents who helped these ladies! They not only ensured the safety of those folks, but also allowed the First Responders to more efficiently continue with their duties in a serious emergency.

People have to be aware that they are responsible for themselves and the consequences of their actions. Those who venture out into remote areas should be able to fend for themselves. They should have an Emergency Plan prepared before they even head out into the wild blue yonder! Fortunately in our county many residents have a heightened awareness of Emergency Preparedness. This is due to the ongoing efforts of Kern County Fire Department, groups such as CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) who provide training, the FireSafe Council, and local clubs and organizations being open to presentations on how to be prepared for emergencies. As they say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and all the BVS residents at Wildhorse Campground showed themselves to be more than equal to coping with the challenges of a potentially life threatening situation. This demonstrates the importance of raised awareness about Emergency Preparedness becoming part of our community's culture, especially in our present state of heightened vulnerability to the ravages of wildfire.

Although it was disappointing to miss out on the rest of our vacation, I am sure each and every one of us in the group heaved a sigh of relief that we had come out of our adventure unscathed – apart from having to clean all our equipment of a covering of ashes, and do vast amounts of laundry because everything smelled of smoke!

Anyone interested in learning more about Emergency Preparedness should look online at the FEMA website http://www.fema.gov which has great information on how to be prepared. Or you can take local CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) training in Bear Valley Springs. The next CERT training class is due to start on Monday, September 14th. Contact Jim Nelson on 821-5205 for further information or to sign up.

Attend the Stallion Springs CERT Meetings which are the first Wednesday each month, 6:30 p.m., at the CSD EOC/Board Rm. Interested persons are invited to attend and see what SS CERT is about and how to prepare for disasters. Call 661-412-CERT, or email CERT 1 [email protected].

We also have Citizens Emergency Response Team (CERT) groups in Sand Canyon, Alpine Forest and the City of Tehachapi.