El Dorado Fire Update From The Mountain Top #7 -

News from the Mountain Top

September 22, 2020

Hello Campers and Camp Supporters:

Finally, it seems the fire is holding the line on top of the mountain. The maps indicate that right above de Benneville Pines the fire is no longer inching toward our buildings. The middle map shows the fire line is holding above Angelus Oaks. Upon closer look, it seems the fire came right up to some homes in Angelus Oaks. It is incredible that no homes have been lost in this sweet town. As you know, Angelus Oaks sits on a wooded ledge after the steep grade up from the Forest Falls turn. The town is quite dense with manzanita, spreading oaks and tall pines. It is what makes it such a shady and lovely village but is also what makes it a challenge to protect in a wildfire.

This photo of the orange skies above Boy Scout Camp Tahquitz gives you a hint of the smoky air up in Barton Flats. If you look hard, you can see a water drop chopper in the sky above the trees. The Boy Scout Camp is right across the street from us where Barton Road and Jenks Lake Road intersect. We are so glad their camp has been spared any damage during this fire.

Alternate text Joseph Ellis/Contributing Photographer, Orange County Register

According to the Orange County Register, the fire held its size overnight, with 22,588 acres burned. Right now, burning debris and rocks rolling down to the highway are big threats. Yesterday, there was a large boulder rockslide on Hwy 38 between the Forest Falls hairpin turn and Angelus Oaks. Holding the mountain back will be an ongoing battle for a while. The highway is closed from Bryant Avenue in Yucaipa to Lake Williams on the east end of Big Bear Valley; and all communities from Angelus Oaks to Onyx Summit are still under evacuation orders. And that includes all the camps in the Barton Flats area.

Report from the fire brief is that crews have started mopping up in places and that there are still some active fire areas. The fire is 60% contained.

Our deep thanks to everyone for your good thoughts and energies coming our way. Your emails to me detail your love for and strong memories of Camp and your hopes for its continued existence into the future. With your loving support, volunteer labor, and financial contributions, we will one day be back in operation.