MENDOCINO Co., 2/23/20 — After the Ranch Fire swept through the Mendocino National Forest, a number of beloved recreational areas have been closed as the United States Forest Services has been clearing downed trees and rebuilding trails after the fire, and slowly re-opening portions of the forest to the public, most recently the Pine Mountain Lookout. The Forest Service has announced that a number of areas, including campgrounds and trails, will be re-opening, but extended the closure of other areas in order to continue clearing fire hazards.
Here’s the full map of exactly what’s open and what’s closed in the Mendocino National Forest, and the full announcement from USFS, below — here’s our previous coverage of the Ranch Fire, and of the Mendocino National Forest.
Mendocino National Forest issues new forest order for Ranch Fire area
More trails and campgrounds open
WILLOWS, Calif., Feb. 3, 2020 — Forest Supervisor Ann Carlson has issued Forest Order No. 08-20-02 for the Ranch Fire area which opens more trails and campgrounds and continues the temporary closure of selected trails and campgrounds until more fire hazards can be removed. The new closure is effective from January 29, 2020 until December 31, 2020.
Most of the road system and trails in the Ranch Fire area have been evaluated and hazards have been removed. Forest Order No. 08-20-02 opens the majority of OHV trails on the Grindstone Ranger District as well as Pine Mountain Lookout and Bear Creek campground on the Upper Lake Ranger District. However, numerous hazards still exist within the general forest, along many roads and trails and in campgrounds.
Supervisor Carlson says, “Due to the hard work of Forest Service employees and volunteers there are now many fire impacted areas that are safe for the public to enjoy and I feel it is important to reopen access to public lands where we can. We are continuing to remove hazards such as dead standing trees, exposed rebar in trail treads, and stump holes on trails in order to reopen the remaining trails and campgrounds.”
“Although the end date for Order 08-20-02 is December 31, 2020, we are working hard to reasonably reduce risks to the public and reopen areas as soon as possible,” Carlson adds. Forest Order 08-20-02, including the order, map and list of closed trails and facilities is posted on the forest website: https://tinyurl.com/urx4jwu.