PINE MOUNTAIN CLUB, CA (Monday, Sept. 11, 2017 at 2:50 p.m.)—Wildland Firefighting Division Chief John Abell told The Mountain Enterprise that he has received water drops today at the lightning strike fire above Bernina Drive in Pine Mountain Club. His crews will need to fell a large tree that was burning. He said he’ll pull the crew off the mountain by around 8 p.m. and they return in the morning, then revisit the site over the next few days to make sure the fire is completely out.

PINE MOUNTAIN CLUB, CA (Monday, Sept. 11, 2017 at 10:54 a.m.)—Helicopters have begun water drops from Fern’s Lake to the fire’s location about a mile up from the top of Bernina Drive.

PINE MOUNTAIN CLUB, CA (Monday, Sept. 11, 2017 at 10:25 a.m.)—Fire crews from Los Padres National Forest Engine 371 are hiking to a lightning strike fire above Pine Mountain Club ignited last night during a thunder storm. Wildland Firefighting Division Chief John Abell told The Mountain Enterprise that a helicopter, a hotshot crew and an air attack plane are enroute while Engine 371’s crew is hiking to the location about one mile up from the top of Bernina Drive. “It’s smoldering right now and light smoke is visible from St. Bernard drive,” Abell said at about 10:20 this morning. “The thunder storm brought some rain with it, so the fuels are damp,” he said.

PINE MOUNTAIN CLUB, CA (Monday, Sept. 11, 2017 at 6:30 a.m.)—A reporter for The Mountain Enterprise saw no smoke from the area of Sawmill Mountain above Pine Mountain Club this morning after 6 a.m.

PINE MOUNTAIN CLUB, CA (Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017 at 8:01 p.m.)—Kern County Fire Department is in communication with Los Padres National Forest Wildland Firefighting Division Chief John Abell. The two agencies are monitoring the situation and will investigate further after daybreak.

PINE MOUNTAIN CLUB, CA (Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017 at 7:44 p.m.)—Kern County Fire Department Engine 58 is investigating a possible lightning strike fire on Sawmill Mountain above Pine Mountain Club. Station 58 was dispatched for a smoke check before 7:30 p.m.

This is part of the September 8, 2017 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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