Aug. 23: Bear Fire receives more attention
UPDATE 10:30 p.m.: The Bear Fire reached 1,661 acres.
According to tonight’s Forest Service briefing, the fire made a large advancement on the north side of the fire today to the northwest along both sides of Bear Creek. The south side of the fire advanced towards Middle Fork at Carpenter Bar, but stayed east of Carpenter Creek.
The Bear Fire nearly doubled in size overnight and is now reported at 1,078 acres, but could have grown from that estimat. It is burning in the same drainage as the Claremont Fire near Quincy, about 6 miles south and west of the bigger blaze. Originally it had closed a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail, but was not threatening structures, so the blaze remained unstaffed. Now that the fire has grown, there is concern for Meadow Valley and Bucks Lake.
During this morning’s briefing, a Forest Service spokesman said that crews would be out there today. There is an effort to get more resources on the fire and a management team will consider where to locate containment lines. The fire was burning in steep and rugged terrain, but had reached the flats.
The fire advanced to the north and northeast yesterday afternoon, and today’s effort is to keep it from spreading east and west. It is located 1 mile northwest of Butte Bar Campground and 1.5 southeast of Lookout Rock.
