Update from 93.3 KBHR:

Still No Threat to Big Bear at This Time -- Fires Update as of Noon
Though smoke does and will remain visible in the Big Bear area, officials do assure us that there is still no immediate threat to the Big Bear Valley, resulting from the Slide and Grass Valley Fires. According to Sergeant Matthew Schilling with the Big Bear Station of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, “Nothing has really changed from yesterday, for Big Bear.” Schilling was present at this morning's briefing on the fires that burn in neighboring mountain communities and reassures, “The winds have settled down a bit. Nothing has changed dramatically, as far as our community is concerned.”

Fire officials tells us that we will be seeing smoke coming over Sugarloaf Mountain and the Bear Mountain Resort area today. This is smoke from the Slide Fire burning in the Running Springs area. Officials further note that the inversion layer has laid the smoke heavy in the Santa Ana River area and, as the weather changes and warms up, the drift smoke will rise and show heavy over these areas. Just to reassure our listeners in the Big Bear Valley, fire crews have been out investigating reports of smoke, and it is confirmed to be the drift smoke from the Slide Fire.
We have also checked on the Butler #2 Fire and, at this time, there are no reports of flare-ups in that fire zone, though crews are still assigned to this burn area.

Updated reports on the total burned acreage and loss of homes on the Slide and Grass Valley Fires have not yet been made available today. At last count, the Slide Fire, which has been burning vigorously in the Running Springs area and, as of last night, had posed a threat to the Rimwood Ranch area, is listed as having burned at least 4,000 acres in the Green Valley Lake and Running Springs areas. At last count, 200 homes had been burned in the Slide Fire.
The Grass Valley Fire, which yesterday prompted mandatory evacuations for all communities from Crestline east to Snow Valley Ski Area, has burned at least 113 structures, though we anticipate that number to be higher when another count is made. So far, 1000 acres have burned on this fire, which is west of the Slide Fire.

Highway 38 does remain open to all traffic, as does Highway 18 through Lucerne Valley. The Sheriff's Department tells us that residency is not required for access to Big Bear, though we recommend that, during fire season, you should always carry proof of residency when leaving the mountain.

And again, despite the smoke, officials tell us that no immediate threat is posed to the Big Bear Valley.