The following Forest Lands will be closing due to fire danger at 5pm today.
Stanislaus National Forest,
Sierra National Forest,
Sequoia National Forest,
Inyo National Forest,
Los Padres National Forest,
Angeles National Forest,
San Bernardino National Forest,
Cleveland National Forest.
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Unfortunately thats a good idea considering the current activity and fire weather.
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Not to get into politics, but if you look at Forest Districts outside of R-5, many have been shut down due to the drought/fire conditions for several months…
Forward thinking I would say…
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I didn’t know that. Which ones?
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I’m curious. Where have they shut down entire National Forests? Besides
South Zone?
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Most in AZ R-3
update
My apologies, I miss spoke (given wrong info from a local FS prevention officer on Friday)…many of the AZ forests ARE open currently…Level 1 thru 3 fire restrictions with no open flame.
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Plus all campgrounds and day use areas across the region are closed, as well as dispersed camping in 5 forests in the northern Sierras. Sounds like the need for air evacuations of civilians in the Creek Fire prompted this.
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While I fully support this closure, great caution must be taken to ensure a good public safety measure doesn’t turn into a tool that looks or sounds good. Closing forests has huge economic impacts. A campground or lake next to an interstate highway is totally different than a miles long two lane road back into river canyon where hundreds of campers have one way out. More often than not Government, particularly the Federal Government takes a one size fits all approach.
Specific criteria based on identified risk factors with specific mitigation goals must be determined prior to establishing closure matrix, and seldom should they be forest wide. There is also a need for fuel management along evacuation corridors particularly in areas with elevated fire danger due to tree mortality or other issues.
Total Forest Closures is the nuclear option, likely warranted under current conditions but this is a combination of many factors coming together.
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Didn’t mean imply this was solely the result of the evacuations. Talks about increased restrictions had been ongoing for weeks. Indications are the air evacs triggered the “nuclear option”.
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I think this unprecedented situation calls for unprecedented actions. All forests should be closed particularly to back packing. My point is to be cautious this is not a regular response to heightened fire danger.
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ANF only closed for 7 days. no problem here. but I do see your point
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I agree. Interestingly, they didn’t stop backpacking in the wilderness with their earlier order. And why aren’t they stopping timber operations? And they are still allowing folks to access inholdings through forest roads. Get the feeling this was done as a show as much as it was done as a fire prevention tool.
Now updated to all USFS Property in CA. Never knew this could happen.
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And Mount Hood NF in OR.
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I would like to see how extensive this is. If in fact they are closing all recreation in the forests, they are going to have a monumental job of making folks leave campgrounds in the Eastern sierra alone.
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All 18 R5 forests are closed as of last night. The HTF is not closed, since it is R4, so a bit of the eastern sierra (Bridgeport and Markleeville areas) is still open.
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The Humboldt-Toiyabe closed the section in California yesterday, so now all National Forest land in California is closed to recreation.
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Wow
Another hit to the Eastern sierra economy
I would hate to be that person telling campers with reservations you have to leave right now after the covid debacle…
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First COVID-19, now Fires and the shutting down of all forests impacting Ca’s economy. Ca. is about to see a economic disaster on the horizon and a huge amount of businesses shut down and never returning. This also means a large impact on Fire Department budgets statewide. Be safe out there!
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Tree mortality alone is enough reason to close forest near and far from freeways . The widow makers do not care who is under them. Until all the forest are managed correctly and cleaned up they should remain closed. Maybe lack of revenue will open up some people’s eyes and see logging for the good and not the evil. Of course this thought was before the devastating fires of late!
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