Both Big Bear communities approve fire authority budgets; full board vote still needed

Elected leaders in Big Bear City and Big Bear Lake have each passed their respective spending plans for the Big Bear Fire Authority, leaving one final step before the budget takes effect.

Both governing bodies have now signed off on the fire authority's budget, according to a report from The Grizzly[1]. The remaining hurdle is for representatives from both communities to convene together as the Big Bear Fire Authority board and formally adopt the final spending plan[1]. That joint session has not yet taken place.

The Fire Authority serves the entire Big Bear Valley, making its budget decisions consequential for the safety of both year-round residents and the millions of visitors who travel to the mountain each year. The specific dollar amounts in the approved budgets, and whether the spending plan includes changes to staffing levels or fire services, could not be confirmed from the available source material. Voices from the fire authority itself — including fire chiefs, firefighters, or residents who may have spoken at budget hearings — were also not available for this report.

What's next: Watch for a joint meeting of the Big Bear Fire Authority board, where elected leaders from both Big Bear City and Big Bear Lake are expected to convene and take a final vote on the spending plan. Big Bear News will update this story when that meeting is scheduled or completed.