Snow Falls On Big Bear Lake, Wildfire-Scorched Mountain Communities
BIG BEAR LAKE (CBSLA) — The sight of snow was welcomed in Big Bear Lake and Sierra Mountain communities that have been scorched by the Caldor Fire.
Big Bear Lake got its first snowfall of the season Monday, and up to three inches were expected to blanket the area. It was enough to prompt Caltrans to bring out vehicles to keep its District 8 roads clear of snow.
The peaceful fall of snow belied the wild weather that hit the rest of Southern California, which included dust storms in the high desert and strong, gusty winds that took out trees throughout the region.
Further north, the cooler temperatures and precipitation was a boon to firefighters battling the Caldor Fire, which is 96% contained. Officials say the light snowfall was not enough to put out the fire completely, but it did help with containment.
Authorities battling the KNP Complex Fire in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park also reported temperatures fall 15 degrees and light snow falling at higher elevations. The change in the weather prompted crews in the fire's north zone to move to lower, warmer elevations for the night, and officials hope calmer winds and clearer conditions will allow them to fly unmanned patrols over areas that are too dangerous for crews to access.
