The Regional Forest closure effective Aug. 31st at 11:59 p.m. will end Wednesday Sept. 15th at 11:59pm. Meanwhile a NEW CLOSURE ORDER will keep SoCal Regional Forests Closed Under Local Orders through Wednesday Sept. 22nd at 11:59 p.m.
Fire Danger Level will go up from EXTREME to its highest level… CRITICAL.
Details at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r5
VALLEJO, Calif., — Sept. 14, 2021. The USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest
Region will end the regional closure order affecting National Forests in California at
11:59 pm on Wednesday, Sept. 15, two days prior to the original end date of Sept. 17.
However, forest-wide closures will remain in place and be extended until midnight on
September 22nd on the Los Padres, Angeles, San Bernardino, and Cleveland National
Forests in Southern California due to local weather and fire factors, as well as a
temporary strain on firefighting resources supporting large fires in other areas of the
state.
In addition to the four National Forests that will remain closed in Southern California,
some National Forest System lands throughout the state will be closed under local
closure orders in areas of ongoing wildfires to ensure public safety. This includes the
Eldorado National Forest in Northern California, which has a forest closure order until
Sept. 30. Fire restrictions also remain in place across all National Forests in California
to prevent new fire starts. Please refer to the local National Forest that you plan to visit
to obtain specific information on closures and restrictions.
“We are constantly evaluating weather and fire conditions in California, as well as
regional and national firefighting resources available to us so that we can ensure the
safety of the public and our firefighters,” said Regional Forester Jennifer Eberlien.
“Some factors are more favorable now, which is why I decided to end the regional
closure order. I want to thank the public and our partners for their patience and
understanding during these challenging times.”
Factors leading to this decision include:
- Anticipated increase of firefighting resource availability to California due to fire
danger lessening in other areas of the country. - Regional weather systems and related climate zones becoming more variable as the
seasons change, leading to less uniform conditions across California. Where
weather and fire danger remain high, tailored fire restrictions and closures remain in
place locally and may be added where necessary. - Peak summer visitation has tapered off significantly since the Labor Day holiday
weekend. The public is a critical partner in mitigating risk and recreating responsibly
on our National Forests. - We recognize the important role of National Forests to peoples’ livelihood and
quality of life.
Favorable fire conditions remain throughout many parts of the state, and the public’s
role in recreating responsibly has never been more important. We remind visitors to
practice self-sufficiency during visits to National Forests, be aware of fire conditions in
the area you are visiting and follow guidelines to prevent human-caused fire starts. Best
practices include:
• Heed local information regarding trails and campgrounds, especially fire restrictions
and closures. Generally, camp stoves with a shutoff valve will be allowed.
• Be proactive in your thinking about preventing fire starts. Smoking, parking in grass,
flammable material, and other activities could cause fire ignition under dry
conditions.
• COVID-19 remains a concern. Maintain at least six feet distance from others.
• Do not gather in groups and please follow the latest guidance from officials.
• Communicate with others as you pass. Alert trail users of your presence and step
aside to let others pass.
• Pack out your trash and leave with everything you bring in and use.
• All services may not be available, so please plan accordingly. - More than 7,404 wildfires have burned over 2.25 million acres across all jurisdictions in
California. The nation remains at Preparedness Level 5 (PL5); the Northern California
Geographic Area is at PL5, and the Southern California Geographic Area has moved up
to PL4. The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest is largely in California but is in the Intermountain
Region (R4) and is not impacted by the previous closure order. - The Forest Service thanks our partners and the public for their cooperation and
understanding. Citizens with specific questions within their area should consult their
local forest website or social media pages for more information.
