‘HELP US!!’ message written in snow spotted in Crestline after winter storm strands thousands of people, California

Residents in the San Bernardino Mountains, southern California are in a dire situation following a massive snowstorm that hit the area in late February 2023. Despite facing treacherous conditions, many residents have lined up for a food distribution outside a grocery store in Crestline, where the roof had collapsed earlier in the week.

Many residents in the smaller mountain communities like Crestline and Arrowbear have been left feeling forgotten, with some claiming they have not received any help for the past five days.

Aerial footage captured by AIR7 HD showed dozens of residents outside the grocery store, with some having written “HELP US!!” in the snow. Meanwhile, Brian Guthrie and his wife have been forced to pave a tunnel from their home to their pantry shed in Arrowbear due to the difficult conditions.

The San Bernardino Mountains have seen a rare blizzard in the late-February blast of arctic air, with Lake Arrowhead receiving a seven-day snowfall total of 2.77 meters (109 inches), compared to its yearly average of 55.88 cm (22 inches). Meanwhile, neighboring Running Springs received 3.81 meters (150 inches) of snow.

San Bernardino County is one of 13 counties where Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency due to the severe weather conditions.

Featured image credit: ABC7 (stillshot)