FIRES FIGHT BACK STEVENSON RANCH THREATENED; MOUNTAIN RESORTS EMPTIED THOUSANDS FLEE BIG BEAR AREA AHEAD OF FLAMES.

Byline: Emily Sachs, Scott Vanhorne and Leigh Muzslay Staff Writers

SAN BERNARDINO - A recharged firestorm raged through the San Bernardino Mountains on Tuesday, forcing thousands to flee the resort areas of Lake Arrowhead, Big Bear Lake and Crestline.

Hundreds of cars snaked bumper to bumper down mountainous Highway 18 toward the safety of the Lucerne Valley while authorities said exhausted fire crews could do little to protect homes and businesses threatened by the wind-driven blaze.

``I think the chances of preventing this fire from going into the communities on the mountaintop are very, very low at this point. We've got a lot of work ahead of us,'' California Department of Forestry incident commander Hal Mortier told The Associated Press.

The dramatic evacuation order was aimed at moving holdout residents from the path of the seemingly unstoppable Old Fire, blamed on arson, that began Saturday in San Bernardino's Waterman Canyon and roared out of control. About 80,000 residents of the mountain have left since Saturday.

San Diego County also faced renewed danger with the mountain town of Julian under threat as two wildfires merged to form a massive inferno that drove overwhelmed and weary firefighters back.

The death toll from the series of fires from North Los Angeles County to the Mexican border has reached 16 with 1,608 homes destroyed and total damage expected to reach $2 billion - already the worst brush fire in at least 10 years and possibly headed to become even worse than the Oakland Hills Fire of 1991.

Even as the Santa Ana winds ebbed, breezes from the west swept in, driving the wildfires up the San Bernardino Mountains laden with forests of trees killed by a bark beetle infestation after years of drought.

In San Bernardino County, where two deaths have occurred and at least 570 homes destroyed, officials were gearing up for the worst.

``We're looking at a very heavy onshore wind'' expected to reach 20-30 mph, said San Bernardino County Fire Chief/Fire Warden Peter Hills. ``Up-slope fires are going to be a significant challenge.''

The fire was operating on three flanks:

--One, west of Crestline, was moving north and threatening to advance to the Summit Valley and Hesperia areas on the other side of the mountains. Fire officials were moving firefighters from the Grand Prix Fire in the San Gabriel Mountains to this flank, he said.

``Our biggest concern is it's going to wrap around the back side,'' Hills said.

--A second overtook Strawberry Peak near Rimforest late Monday night, knocking out a communications tower, threatening the Lake Arrowhead area.

--The third flank was threatening to run up the canyon where the Santa Ana River drains into the town of Mentone from the eastern mountains.

``It is very intense on the east end,'' Hills said. ``They are reporting spot fires of 500 acres.''

San Bernardino County Sheriff Gary Penrod said his department had enough personnel in the mountain areas to conduct evacuations and provide security.

Deputies were working 12-hour shifts, with 135 on each shift. There were also 80 deputies in reserve, plus 40 from the Riverside County Sheriff's Department and others from city police departments assisting.

Six Wyoming, Colorado and North Carolina Air National Guard C-130 Hercules cargo planes specially equipped for firefighting are joining two similarly equipped firefighting C-130s from the 146th Airlift Wing of the California National Guard to fight the state's raging wildfires. The Colorado planes are from an Air Force Reserve unit.

The six planes from the three states were ordered to California by the Air National Guard and the U.S. Air Force at the request of California Gov. Gray Davis. The two state Air Guard C-130s have been on firefighting duty in the Simi Valley area since Sunday.

State Guard spokesman Lt. Col. Terry Knight said the new arrivals will be expected to join efforts in San Bernardino County and elsewhere ``as quickly as possible.''

A sketch of the man suspected of starting the Old Fire is a solid lead from a key witness, sheriff's officials said Tuesday afternoon. The sketch is of the man driving a 2000 or 2001 Chevrolet or Dodge van with a full rear window.

County officials are offering a $50,000 reward and an additional $10,000 was offered by an unnamed source.

So far, the fire has charred 28,000 acres and is only 10 percent contained.

Ash came raining down from the fiery mountains but air quality experts say it is no worse for the lungs than the smoke filling the air.

``Normally, it doesn't make it into the lungs,'' said Roger Atkinson, director of the Air Pollution Research Center at UC Riverside. ``The ash will be filtered out by the nasal passages. If you breathe with your mouth open, you might get one.''

Even as the fires continued to rage, planners already were worrying about possible heavy winter rains and the mudslides and floods they can spawn.

``It's always a danger when you have burnt hillsides like this,'' said Ted Golondzinier, San Bernardino County's Flood Control District assistant director for transportation flood control operations.

``It all depends on the intensity of the rain ... If we have nice gentle rains, drizzles, those are fine. But a thunderstorm is not good.''

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service is assembling a Burn Area Emergency Rehabilitation Team to assess damage in Southern California and implement a plan to prevent erosion and further damage.

CAPTION(S):

5 photos, map

Photo:

(1 -- color) Trees alongside Highway 18 near the mountain community of Sky Forest are completely engulfed in flames Tuesday as the Old Fire chews its way through the San Bernardino Mountains.

(2 -- color) A Bullhead City, Ariz., firefighter runs hose away from approaching flames Tuesday during efforts to save Sky Forest.

Eric Reed/Staff Photographer

(3 -- color) Firefighters make a stand to protect a home on Shakespeare Drive in Stevenson Ranch on Tuesday after the Verdale/Simi Valley Fire turned back northeast.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer

(4 -- color) Smoke fills the sky above Lake Arrowhead on Tuesday as fire heads down the mountain after crossing Highway 18, where firefighters had made a stand.

Kevork Djansezian/Associated Press

(5 -- color) Trees erupt in flames as the Old Fire burns uncontrolled near Lake Arrowhead on Tuesday. Fire officials are bracing for the worst from the fire, which is burning on three flanks.

Paul Sakuma/Associated Press

Map:

THE SOUTHLAND WILDFIRES

SOURCE: California of Forestry and Fire Protection and fire and law enforcement officials.

Gregg Miller/Staff Artist