The reopening of the winding State Route 330 leading into the San Bernardino Mountains doesn’t just offer a shorter option into the Running Springs and Big Bear areas – but also gives a stark look at the devastation left in the wake of the Line Fire.
State Route 330 opened on Nov. 22 after being shut down because of damage from the early September fire that swept through the forest region, burning an estimated 43,978 acres.
Visitors heading to the popular tourist towns this holiday weekend and in weeks to come as the winter season gets underway will be welcomed in areas by charred trees lining the roadway, once dense greenery now black.
Splashes of pink and red hues still line the road, leftover from the fire retardant used by first responders to keep the flames from reaching populated areas of the mountain and to spare the road from further destruction.
Work is still being done to repair the roadway, a nearly $10 million emergency project by the California Department of Transportation to remove damaged trees and repair asphalt, slopes, drainage, guardrails and other significant structural damage caused by the Line Fire.
Phase 1 repairs are nearly complete along the state route and a subcontractor started installing safeguards last week to help direct water to appropriate areas, according to Caltrans.
Phase 2 of the emergency project to repair damaged culverts is expected to start Dec. 4. That work will require flagging operations at various sections of the 330, which could cause delays, officials warned.
The start date is tentative due to possible material shortages and inclement weather, according to Caltrans.
As Snow Valley in Running Springs prepares to open this Friday, and Snow Summit in Big Bear already spent the last week welcoming visitors, the reopening of the State Route 330 is “huge news,” said Big Bear Mountain Resort spokesman Justin Kanton.
“That is the route that most people who come to visit our mountains usually take, it’s the one they are most familiar with and has the easiest access to Snow Valley,” he said. “We couldn’t be more excited.
“That’s a credit to all the response teams who dealt with the fire and did the assessments afterward. We’re very thankful to them, their efforts are very much appreciated,” he added. “The mountain towns as a whole, getting things back to normal is what we’re striving for.”
The first responders’ “bravery and dedication” kept the fire from moving into the resort towns, saving infrastructure and further devastation, Kanton said.
“It’s startling, to the point of unsettling, how much damage fire can do in such a short time,” he said. “And it shows how hard and great the teams were who responded, minimizing it the way they did. It could have come up the ridge and through this whole valley and kept going to the desert.”
Kanton said it will be especially important this year that people check road conditions before heading up to the mountain resorts. Exposed burn areas could mean loose soil and rocks, especially when precipitation comes down, making the area susceptible to rock slides.
Also, it is important to carry the chains or cables required in the vehicle at all times during the winter season, he added.
