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 before 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 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. 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.”
– Regional Forester Jennifer Eberlien
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.
