[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 90 (Friday, June 25, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1243]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           HONORING THE FIREFIGHTERS WHO SAVED LAKE ARROWHEAD

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JERRY LEWIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 24, 2004

  Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure today to call 
attention to the federal, state and local firefighters whose bravery 
and quick thinking saved thousands of homes and many lives in the San 
Bernardino Mountains of California last year. Representatives of these 
community heroes are in town this week for well-deserved national 
recognition from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and I would like 
to add my voice to the acclaim they are receiving.
  My colleagues have heard me say many times on this floor that we are 
facing a terrible crisis in our Southern California forests. Years of 
drought have weakened the trees, and allowed the pine bark beetle to 
attack and kill millions of them--leaving hundreds of acres ready to 
burn at any time. More than 100,000 of my constituents live among these 
trees, and their lives and safety are at risk until we remove these 
dead and dying trees.
  In October last year, the disaster we feared struck California--and 
struck and struck again. Within days, fires were consuming tens of 
thousands of acres in San Bernardino, Los Angeles, San Diego and 
Ventura counties. In my district, a fire started in the foothills and 
spread to 100 acres within ten minutes. In less than an hour, it became 
clear that nearby communities would need to be evacuated. By nightfall 
the Old Fire consumed over 4,000 acres of land. It destroyed 400 homes 
and was responsible for two fatalities before the day was out. 
Ultimately, nearly 1,000 homes were lost.
  As dawn arrived on October 26, Fire Incident Commander Norm Walker 
was contemplating the distinct possibility of the worst-case scenario: 
fire reaching the 40,000 homes in the Lake Arrowhead community. 
Mandatory evacuations of all of the mountain communities began. 
Resources were stretched to the absolute maximum, due to other fires 
burning throughout the state.
  The San Bernardino Mountains rise steeply to 10,000 feet above the 
city, and running along the face of the mountains between 5,000 feet 
and 7,000 feet is the famous Rim of the World Highway, State Route 18. 
This is also the last point where the fire could be stopped before 
roaring into the millions of dead trees in and around our mountain 
communities. By evening on October 26, the main fire crossed Highway 
18, and the order was given to begin backfiring along the highway 
across the mountain rim to the east. The northeast winds were predicted 
to shift, which would push the flames north across Highway 18 and 
directly into the community of Lake Arrowhead.
  Four highly trained firefighters in a unified command, Randy Clauson 
(USFS), Jim Ahearn (USFS), George Corley (San Bernardino County Fire), 
and Bill Bagnell (Crest Forest Fire) initiated the difficult, strenuous 
firing operation at 9:00 pm using limited personnel. Except for radio 
communication, these four on-the-scene chiefs were largely on their 
own. Every member of their teams faced the possibility of being caught 
by 100-foot walls of flame that were sweeping up the mountains. But 
they stayed the course for the next two days--and the success of their 
operation is evidenced by the fact that nearly all of the mountain 
homes were spared.
  Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt in my mind the heroic, exhausting 
efforts of these four individuals over the course of three days 
resulted in saving thousands of homes and billions of dollars of 
infrastructure around Lake Arrowhead. Anyone who has seen photos of the 
conditions along Highway 18 during the height of the fire is in awe of 
the courage and fortitude of these firefighters, and mountain residents 
will be forever grateful for saving their homes.
  In honor of those efforts, the fire chiefs on Friday will receive the 
U.S. Department of Agriculture Honor Award for heroism and emergency 
response. I ask my colleagues to please join me in congratulating them 
on this recognition, and thanking them for representing the highest 
level of bravery and resourcefulness in defending and saving our 
communities.

                          ____________________