Crews get a handle on fires

Fire crews made progress Sunday in containing wildfires near Big Bear Lake and the historic town of Julian in San Diego County that had forced thousands of people from their homes, but officials said both fires remained dangerous.

As of Sunday evening, the blaze near Big Bear, called the Butler 2 fire, had burned 15,433 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest and was 12% contained, said U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Jocelyn Holt.

The Angel fire, which destroyed one structure near Julian, had consumed about 1,300 acres and was about 60% contained Sunday evening.

“Mother Nature really cooperated with us today,” said Daniel Berlant, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. “We’re doing a lot better than we were yesterday, but we don’t want to become complacent.”

The Butler 2 fire started about 1:30 p.m. Friday in an area west of Fawnskin. It rode 20-mph winds for much of Saturday, scorching brush and timber in mostly steep terrain. That day, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in San Bernardino County, saying, “There is imminent danger to populated areas, including 6,000 homes and 150 businesses.”

But Forest Service officials said Sunday that only 600 homes were still threatened between Green Valley and Fawnskin. Mandatory evacuation orders remain in effect for the 1,200 residents of Fawnskin, near Butler Peak on the north shore of the lake.

Rita Swilling, 31, who was evacuated from her home in Fawnskin along with her husband and four children, said she only had time to grab clothes and food for her 9-month-old infant.

“I keep reminding the kids that their possessions can be replaced,” she said as she prepared to spend another night at a Red Cross shelter. “As long as we’re all together and safe, it’s all good.”

About 300 residents of Green Valley, who had previously been under a mandatory evacuation order, are now under a voluntary order.

Barbara Aker, owner of the Gold Pan restaurant in Fawnskin, said she did not evacuate because she wanted to provide food for firefighters.

“The bombers and the helicopters are just unreal. There’s just so many of them,” she said. “They’re doing a helluva job. Those bombers are just going as fast as those poor babies can go.”

Aker, whose restaurant has been open since 1969, said she will stay as long as she can, but will leave if she begins seeing flames.

“My granddaughter is freaking out, but I’ve been through a lot of them. I just have a lot of faith. . . . If I see flames on the ridge, it’s a big danger and it’s time to get out.”

More than 1,000 firefighters were attacking the blaze Sunday, aided by 12 air tankers, 14 helicopters, 41 engines and 15 bulldozers.

In addition to the mandatory evacuations, authorities also recommended evacuations in Lucerne Valley from Crystal Creek Road on the east to High Road on the west and north to the Pitzer Buttes area; and from downtown Running Springs east through Arrowbear. The YMCA’s Camp Whittle, as well as the Big Pine Flat, Butler Peak Lookout, Hanna Flat, Ironwood and Yellow Post campgrounds, are closed. One outbuilding was destroyed at Camp Whittle and one firefighter was injured.

About 50 people stayed at two Red Cross evacuation centers Saturday night. With the mandatory evacuation of Green Valley lifted, one of those centers was slated to close Sunday night.

“They don’t want to leave their homes until it becomes absolutely necessary, and that’s always a challenge,” said Yevette Ramos, a spokeswoman for the Inland Empire chapter of the American Red Cross.

The cause of the fire had not been determined. The fire has been dubbed Butler 2 because it is in the same area as the first Butler fire, which was triggered by lightning Sept. 1.

Officials said schools would be closed Monday in the Big Bear Unified School District.

In San Diego County, some 700 firefighters were still battling the fire near Julian on Sunday, but only about 120 families remained evacuated from the communities of Cedar Glen, Lower Banner Grade and portions of Whispering Pines.

In addition, Wynola Road between California 78 and Farmer Road as well as California 78 at Sunshine Trail had been closed until further notice, said Berlant, of the state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Authorities had no estimate on when full containment would be achieved but said a red-flag warning would be in effect at least until 9 p.m. Sunday.

Three firefighters suffered minor injuries for which they were treated and released, Berlant said.

Sabine Horner, owner of the Wynola Pizza Express on California 78 about two miles from the blaze, said the plumes of smoke wafting over the area reminded her of the devastating Cedar fire that killed 15 people and burned more than 300,000 acres in 2003.

“It was unnerving,” she said. “It was like déjà vu; ‘oh no, not this again.’ ”

More than 30 evacuees from the fire, including the staff of a nearby church camp where a building had been burned and a band evacuated from a blue-grass festival, spent much of Saturday hanging out at her place.

“They sat out the evening because they couldn’t go home,” she said. “Some were distraught. We were busy, but in a very sorry kind of way.”

Officials said the fire was sparked about 1:30 p.m. Saturday by an illegal campfire in the vicinity of Tom Scott Mine between Camp Stevens and Angel’s Landing, the road from which the blaze derived its name.

“We’re looking for anyone who may have some information or seen someone” in that area, said Capt. Julie Hutchinson, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Anyone with information was urged to call the department’s arson tip line at (800) 468-4408.

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charles.ornstein@latimes.com

david.haldane@latimes.com

Times staff writer Matt Lait contributed to this report.