 El Dorado Fire Consumes over 12,600 acres; 23% Contained
San Bernardino County firefighters continue to battle the aggressive El Dorado Fire, which continues to threaten homes and property along Highway 38. Firefighters worked through the night to save hundreds of homes. Damage assessment teams are in the area recording any structure losses. Three County firefighters have endured injuries battling fire and winds.
New evacuation orders were issued to residents between Angelus Oaks and Onyx Summit along Highway 38. Forest Falls, Oak Glen, North Bench Yucaipa, Mountain Home Village, Hidden Meadows and a portion of southern Cherry Valley were also evacuated, according to San Bernardino County officials.
“Our firefighters continue to combat this fire and are putting their lives on the line to protect lives and property,” said County Fire Chief Dan Munsey. “We’re making progress, but we implore residents to follow evacuation orders for their own safety and the safety of firefighters.”
The El Dorado Fire began Saturday morning at El Dorado Ranch Park in Yucaipa. Here is where County residents can find the latest information and resources:
- A map of the evacuation area can be found on this Evacuation Status Map.
- Red Cross has established a reception site for evacuees at Redlands East Valley High School, 31000 E. Colton Avenue in Redlands. Red Cross evacuation assistance can be had by calling (442) 242-0946.
- The U.S. Forest Service posts this daily update of road closures caused by the El Dorado Fire.
- The South Coast Air Quality Management District also has this map of regional air quality
- Residents are encouraged to take advantage of the County’s TENS (Telephone Emergency Notification System) Alerts system, which provides rapid notification of impending dangers and evacuation orders.
- To stay abreast of fire conditions and firefighting efforts, monitor the Twitter and Facebook feeds of San Bernardino County Fire.
- San Bernardino County Animal Care and Control can assist with animal evacuations by calling (800) 472-5609.
Smoke Advisory Issued for El Dorado Fire
San Bernardino County Interim Health Officer Dr. Erin Gustafson advises county residents who live near areas affected by the El Dorado Fire to stay alert to changing smoke levels and be prepared to act accordingly.
Smoky conditions can be hazardous for young children, the elderly, individuals with heart conditions or chronic lung disease such as asthma and bronchitis, and individuals with other respiratory ailments. Older adults and children should remain indoors, keep windows and doors closed or seek alternate shelter. Individuals with respiratory ailments should make sure they have at least a five-day supply of medication on hand.
It is recommended that air-conditioning be run on a "recirculation" function. If smoke is present, it will be easier to breathe indoors if air is recirculating instead of drawing smoky air from outdoors. People should contact their doctor if they have symptoms such as chest pain, chest tightness, shortness of breath or severe fatigue. This is important not only for people with chronic lung or heart disease, but also for individuals who have not been previously diagnosed with such illnesses. Smoke can "unmask" or produce symptoms of such diseases.
The Health Officer has not advised businesses or other operations to close or release staff. They should, however, stay alert to local conditions and take appropriate action based on the Health Advisory.
For more information regarding the El Dorado Fire, visit the CAL FIRE website at https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/9/5/el-dorado-fire/. For health-related questions regarding smoke from the fire, please contact your primary care provider or the San Bernardino County Public Health's Health Centers at 1-800-722-4777.
 When Will San Bernardino County Move from Purple to Red Tier?
There is one question that seemingly everyone in San Bernardino County is asking: what will it take for us to move from the State’s Purple Tier (when COVID-19 is deemed “widespread” in a particular county) to the Red Tier (when the outbreak level has decreased to “substantial”).
In this instance, “getting into the red” is a very positive development, since it will allow additional businesses to reopen (with modifications and limits), including personal care services, gyms, movie theaters and indoor restaurants. Schools in Red Tier counties are also permitted to provide students in-person instruction.
Per the guidelines, Purple Tier counties are those that are 1) reporting seven or more COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population and 2) showing a “positivity rate” (the percentage of those tested whose results are positive) of 8% or higher. Simply put, San Bernardino County needs to average (over a 7-day period) 153 or fewer cases per day, while maintaining a positivity rate below 8%.
So where does San Bernardino County stand?
We’re pleased to report that the County is making steady progress
“We are showing impressive gains in our numbers, especially in terms of cases,” said Corwin Porter, the County’s director of public health. “We are seeing an average of 175 cases per day, which is getting close to the number needed to move us into the Red Tier, and our positivity rate has declined from around 10% at the beginning of the month to 7.3% today. The key now is to continue this steady rate of decline since we need to maintain the right numbers for 14 straight days.”
Porter emphasized that maintaining — let alone reducing — these rates will require residents to continue following the guidelines that should now be very familiar to everyone. That means continuing to avoid gathering in groups, maintaining social distancing, and absolutely wearing a face covering whenever you’re in close proximity to a person outside your immediate household. The County is also strongly encouraging residents to get tested for the disease — including those who show none of the symptoms associated with COVID-19.
“We have conducted more than 50,000 tests since we began working with our new testing provider, and this increase has undoubtedly contributed to our improved positivity rate,” Porter said. “We urge those of you who have not yet been tested to do so as soon as possible. Remember: getting tested is free, painless, and does not require a doctor’s prescription. And now, all of County testing sites are accepting walk-ins, even though we still encourage setting up an appointment. So there really is no excuse for not getting tested — and doing so will help us move into the Red Tier and reopen more schools and businesses.”
Increased testing helps identify someone with COVID-19, and triggers our contact tracing process so we can identify those who may have had contact with a carrier. It is especially important that anyone who has been in a social situation with persons outside their household to make the effort to get tested.
 California Hospitals and Health Officials Urge Residents to Address Health Concerns
New Public Service Announcement Hopes to Get People to get Medical Attention They Need
Becoming ill from COVID-19 is not the only serious health problem emerging from the coronavirus pandemic: a growing concern is the impact of people avoiding doctor visits and neglecting to take steps to treat serious medical conditions A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that in the 10 weeks following the declaration of a national COVID-19 crisis, emergency department visits declined 23% for heart attack, 20% for stroke and 10% for hyperglycemic crises.
Initially this was due to worries that hospitals and doctors’ offices would be overrun with COVID-19 patients; in fact, many jurisdictions, including San Bernardino County, put limits on non-elective procedures during the early days of the pandemic. And many individuals feared visiting a medical facility due to concerns of becoming infected.
However, as hospitalization rates for COVID-19 patients have declined and medical facilities have become diligent in their efforts to protect staff and patients, health experts are urging residents to visit their health care providers — both to receive routine care and to seek treatment for diagnosed ailments.
“Doctors have been seeing an increase in patients’ weight and blood pressure, conditions like diabetes being ignored and surgeries delayed or even cancelled,” said Corwin Porter, the County’s director of public health. “People should not forego seeking treatment for such conditions. Getting help promptly is often critical to avoid more serious health problems in the future.”
New PSA encourages prioritizing medical needs
Porter and other public health officials, along with doctors and hospitals, are now actively promoting the need for people to pursue medical treatments for conditions unrelated to COVID-19. For example, the California Hospital Association (CHA) recently produced a public service announcement encouraging people to seek such medical attention.
The CHA and other medical experts are emphasizing that people should not delay getting the care they need, pointing out that hospitals and clinics are taking extra care to keep staff and visitors safe. For example, facilities are maintaining separate areas for treating patients with COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, and they are extensively cleaning and disinfecting rooms and equipment, while making sure everyone is wearing a face covering.
“Delaying care could lead to deteriorating health conditions and complicate recovery,” said Porter. “We want County residents to take the steps needed to protect themselves and their family members from potentially serious ailments.”
Upcoming Webinars for Financial Management and Global Exporting
San Bernardino County in conjunction with other partners both regionally and throughout the state are pleased to bring business owners and interested residents ongoing webinars on a variety of important topics. We aim to do everything we can to help businesses succeed during this difficult time.
No cost business webinars hosted by the Workforce Development Board
San Bernardino County’s Workforce Development Board has partnered with regional business experts to provide employers in San Bernardino County access to free and informative business webinars.
Sept 17, 2020, 10 a.m. “Financial Management During COVID-19 Crisis, Part 1”
Sept 24, 2020, 10 a.m. “Financial Management During COVID-19 Crisis, Part 2”
To learn more and to register: https://wp.sbcounty.gov/workforce/business-services/workshops/
Global Export Industry Webinars
These webinars provide information on how to make a business more competitive, expand its customer base, and enter more markets while learning how to save time and money establishing a presence in a new market. Our second webinar will dive even deeper into strategic steps needed to expand an international presence and creating an export strategy.
September 29, 2020, 10 a.m. “Preparing Your Organization to Export”
Register Now: https://www.selectsbcounty.com/events/preparing-your-organization-to-export
October 1, 2020, 10 a.m. “Expand Your Global Footprint”
Register Now: https://www.selectsbcounty.com/events/expand-your-global-footprint
Latest Stats
50,210 Confirmed Cases (up 0.6% from the previous day)
796 Deaths (up 0.6% from the previous day)
531,886 Tests (up 0.8% from the previous day)
For more statistics from the COVID-19 Surveillance Dashboard, click the desktop or mobile tab on the County’s sbcovid19.com website.
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