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Big Bear City, California

39 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1901 and the latest in 1996. It stands in the Big Bear census division. It lies in ZIP code area 92314. It lies near Sawmill Canyon. The Survey maps it on the Big Bear City quadrangle. 12,738 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 6,772 feet above sea level.

Big Bear City within San Bernardino County

Then and now

1901 to 1996

The same ground, surveyed 95 years apart. Drag the handle to wipe between them. Both sheets are United States Geological Survey originals; neither has been altered.

Topographic sheet of Big Bear City, surveyed 1996
Topographic sheet of Big Bear City, surveyed 1901

Compare 1901 against another survey:

On record in Big Bear City

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 1 record

Population over time

2 figures

Big Bear City grew from 12,304 to 12,738 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

YearPeople Change
201012,304
202012,738+434 (+4%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

14 surveys from 39 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

Fires near this place

496 since 1992

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 496 fires within 5 miles of Big Bear City between 1992 and 2020, burning about 2,235 acres in total. 126 started naturally. 15 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined216
Natural126
Recreation and ceremony56
Misuse of fire by a minor22
Equipment and vehicle use20
Arson/incendiarism15
Smoking13
Debris and open burning12
Other causes8
Power generation/transmission/distribution4
Fireworks4

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
9 September 2015Naturalunder an acreSan Bernardino National ForestVANDUSEN
8 September 2013Naturalunder an acreSan Bernardino National ForestRANGER
8 September 2011Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreSan Bernardino National ForestMAPLE
8 September 2008Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreSan Bernardino National ForestSAND
6 September 2013Naturalunder an acreSan Bernardino National ForestSUGARLOAF 2
6 September 2013Naturalunder an acreSan Bernardino National ForestBERTHA
5 September 2015Recreation and ceremonyunder an acreSan Bernardino UnitIMPERIAL AV SUGARLOAF 2
5 September 2001Naturalunder an acreSan Bernardino National ForestCOUGAR

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in San Bernardino County

Mines and quarries near this place

10 of 85 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 85 workings within 5 miles of Big Bear City: 37 past producers, 29 occurrences, 11 prospects, 8 unknowns. None of them still produces. What was taken out: Gold, Uranium, Silver, Stone, Crushed/Broken. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Beaumont No. 2Gold, Germanium, OsmiumOccurrence
Carbonate MineLead, Silver, ZincPast Producer
Gail ClaimGold, Platinum, Limestone, DimensionUnknown
Gold HillGold, Silver, Lead, CopperPast ProducerSurface/Underground
Gold Hill MineGold, Silver, Copper, LeadPast Producer
H. L. Brown Desert View ClaimsBerylliumProspect
HilltopGold, Copper, LeadPast Producer
Independence Mine No. 1Gold, Copper, IronPast Producer1955
Iron King DepositIronOccurrence
Red CanyonMercuryOccurrenceCinnabar

Every working recorded in San Bernardino County

Storms near this place

36 since 1998

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Big Bear City in 36 storm reports between 1998 and 2026: 9 hail, 9 flash flood, 6 flood, 4 debris flow. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
January 2005Flash FloodBig Bear City$1,000,000no account filed
August 2003Heavy RainBig Bear City$50,000no account filed
August 2003LightningBig Bear City$40,000no account filed
April 2001Thunderstorm WindBig Bear City$10,000no account filed
July 2015Flash FloodBig Bear City$5,000Highway 18 flooded, with portions of roadway washing away. Several vehicles were stuck in mud.
June 2022HailBig Bear City$1,000Trained spotter, Bensweather, reports the eastern end of valley covered in light coating of hailstones as seen from camera view. Roofs and some ground covered in hail. Thunderstorm moved over the area around 12:30 pm.
July 2018Debris FlowBig Bear City$1,000California Highway Patrol reported a mudslide along Highway 18 northeast of Big Bear City that was 6 feet deep and extending 20 feet across the highway. 12 vehicles were stranded in the mudslide. Highway 18 was closed between Big Bear and Lucerne Valley due to the debris flow.
July 2013HailBig Bear City$1,000A Big Bear resident reported that 0.5-inch hail had accumulated up to 1.5 inches deep in her yard. Plants and flowers in the yard were completely shredded by the hail.
July 2018Flash FloodBig Bear City$500Monsoonal moisture brought thunderstorms to the San Bernardino Mountains on July 12th. This resulted in flash flooding on Highway 18 near mile marker 65 (Mitsubishi Cement Corporation Plant). numerous vehicles stranded due to significant flow of water and debris. Highway 18 was closed in both directions through the afternoon on July 12th.
February 2026Thunderstorm WindBig Bear City-County Fire reports a tree went through a roof on dawn drive. Estimated wind gusts in the area near 50-55 mph.
March 2023FloodBig Bear City-Flooding occurred near Big Bear City on March 15 following heavy rainfall of 0.50-1.50, with reports of 2.00-3.00+ inches nearby. Heavy rain combined with snow melt to lead to flooding in the San Bernardino County Mountains. The Department of Highways reported the closure of Gildart Drive and Division Drive; Irvine Way and Barrett Way were flooded; the riverbed broke through and resulted in flooding at SR-38, with 3 inches of standing water reported between Baldwin and State Lane.
August 2022Debris FlowBig Bear City-California Highway Patrol reports mud and water across both lanes of Highway 18. Radar estimates 0.25/hr-0.5/hr rain rates.
August 2022Heavy RainBig Bear City-County alert gauge north of Big Bear Lake reported 0.55 inch of rain in ten minutes between 11:39 and 11:49 AM PDT.
July 2022FloodBig Bear City-Flooding on Highway 38 between Paradise and Maple Lane.
July 2021LightningBig Bear City-A 200 year old Jeffery pine tree was struck by lightning. It burned later in the evening until extinguished. The large tree split in half while burning. The thunderstorm on radar appeared to be during several cloud to ground strikes near Big Bear airport around 1230 pm.
July 2021Debris FlowBig Bear City-San Bernardino County Public Works reported the clearing of debris and barricading as needed at Big Bear Yard (Elv. 6815 ft).
July 2019Debris FlowBig Bear City-CalTrans reported rocks and mud in the road due to heavy rain.
August 2014HailBig Bear City-A trained spotter reported nickel size hail and heavy rain along Highway 247 just east of Lucerne Valley near Camp Rock Road.
July 2011Heavy RainBig Bear City-Spotter SBD286 reported a very heavy downpour in the area of North Shore Drive and Greenway Drive in Big Bear City from approximately 1340-1355 PST. During this time, his rain gage showed just over a half inch of rain.
August 2011Flash FloodBig Bear City-Spotter reported street flooding on Big Bear Boulevard from the Stanfield cutoff to Pine Knot Avenue, as well as Rathbun Creek at Catalina Road. Water 6-12 inches deep covered the roadway.
September 2011HailBig Bear City-Hail of dime size or 3/4 inch was reported with heavy rain in both Big Bear City and Highland from a cluster of thunderstorms.
July 2005HailBig Bear City-A thunderstorm over Big Bear dropped 3/4 inch hail and heavy rain.
July 2005Flash FloodBig Bear City-Flash flooding reported along highway 38 at Mountain View.
July 2005HailBig Bear City-A trained spotter in Big Bear City observed 3/4 inch hail and measured 1.06 inches of rain in 30 minutes during a thunderstorm. Heavy rain and hail also resulted flash flooding.
July 2005Flash FloodBig Bear City-Flash flooding and pea size hail from a thunderstorm was reported along highway 18 near eagle point.
August 1999FloodBig Bear City-Street flooding was observed.
August 2007HailBig Bear City-no account filed
August 2007Flash FloodBig Bear City-no account filed
August 2004Flash FloodBig Bear City-no account filed
August 2003HailBig Bear City-no account filed
August 2003Flash FloodBig Bear City-no account filed
August 2003LightningBig Bear City-no account filed
August 2001FloodBig Bear City-no account filed
August 2000HailBig Bear City-no account filed
August 2000FloodBig Bear City-no account filed
August 1998FloodBig Bear City-no account filed

Every storm recorded in San Bernardino County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Sugarloaf1.5 miles34
Moonridge1.9 miles34
Minnelusa2.5 miles35
Woodlands2.6 miles34
Baldwin Lake2.8 miles39
Doble2.9 miles39
Big Bear Lake3.7 miles36
Fawnskin5.2 miles35

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on Big Bear CityAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q542794The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 1660331. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.