Homes destroyed in Green Valley and North Lake Arrowhead

Two rapidly growing fires have destroyed homes and are threatening close to 2,000 other residences in the San Bernardino Mountains near the area of Green Valley Lake and Lake Arrowhead, fire officials said this morning.

The Grass Valley fire erupted at 5 a.m. and the Slide fire at 8:30, both driven by winds in excess of 30 mph. A U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman said homes in Green Valley and North Lake Arrowhead had been destroyed, but she didn't have an exact number or location.

Fifteen hundred homes were threatened in north Lake Arrowhead and 400 in Green Valley, spokeswoman Carol Beckley said. The fire was moving southeast in heavy timber.

"It's not looking good right now," she said.

The two fires together had taken 400 acres and were not even partially contained. Mandatory evacuations were in effect for Running Springs, Arrowbear, Deer Lodge and Green Valley.

Animals were being taken to the Devore Animal Shelter.

Voluntary evacuations were in place for Twin Peaks, Rim Forest, Cedar Glen and Lake Arrowhead.

Evacuation centers had been set up at the Jerry Lewis Center at 7793 Central Ave. in Highland and at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 3860 N. Waterman Drive in San Bernardino.

-- David Kelly