The Lake Fire, which has burned more than 31,000 acres in the beautiful stands of timber in the San Bernardino National Forest, could wreak more havoc on the high desert neighborhoods of Burns Canyon, Rimrock, and Pioneertown. Managing editor Tami Roleff explains…
“This was a devastating fire. It burned away a lot of the fuels in the canyons that are upstream to Pioneertown, and Rimrock, and Burns Canyon.” U.S. Forest Service Public Information Officer Chon Bribiescas says after a fire, the charred ground can’t easily absorb rainwater, which increases the chances of flash floods. “People have to have a heightened awareness of flash floods. The things that normally would help slow down a flash flood or help mitigate a flash flood, all of that is not there any longer.” Bribiescas said that residents should be aware of the possibility even though the rain may be falling up in the mountains and not in the desert. “So even though they may be watching a storm which is nine miles away up in the mountain, it’ll eventually get here, if enough rain falls.” He warns that these flash floods could be very dangerous. “There’s the possibility of larger debris flows, a faster flow of the water, and it gets to places that people don’t normally see it, and people have to be aware of that.” Finally, Bribiescas says turn around, don’t drown. “If you see water across the roads, please don’t try to cross it. It only takes a foot of water to float an automobile.”
