News & Columns > News Staff Member > State Route 18 Reopened

State Route 18 Reopened

By News Staff Member
Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Update: Tuesday, 6:40 pm

State Route 18 has been reopened.

Update: Tuesday, September 4, 7:50 am

According to a Press Release from the Southern California Interagency Incident Management Team 2 and a log entry on the California Highway Patrol CAD system, State Route 18 will reopen at 7:00 pm today. The highway closure is between Snow Valley Ski Resort and the Big Bear Dam. Fire crews and equipment will continue to mop up and patrol the Butler Fire area during daylight hours. Commuters are reminded of reduced speeds and possible debris along the roadway, which may cause traffic delays.

Update: Monday, September 3, 5:45 pm

According to InciWeb, State Route 18 is expected to reopen at 10:00 pm on Tuesday, September 4.

Original article

State Route 18 will remain closed between Snow Valley Ski Resort and the Big Bear Dam through Tuesday, September 4, 2007. The closure is necessary due to fire crews working on the 85-acre Butler Fire. Burning material, falling rocks, and debris continue to impede the roadway and pose a significant risk to the public.

According to a press release from Southern California Interagency Incident Management Team 2, "Butler Fire officials working closely with CalTrans will continue to monitor highway conditions, with the intent of re-opening the highway as soon as it deemed safe to do so."

Commuters must use State Route 38 through Mentone or State Route 18 through Lucerne Valley and plan for longer travel times.

Due to possible thunderstorm activity in the area, sudden and unexpected hazardous road conditions are possible on all mountain roads. According to the press release, "The Mountain Area Safety Task Force (MAST) will provide additional staffing and patrols to keep Highway 38 open in case of rock or mud slides due to thunderstorm activity."

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