Fire Area Closure Reduced in Santa Lucia Ranger District

Fire Area Closure Reduced in Santa Lucia Ranger District
Date: Feb 2, 2010
Contact(s): Ken Kunert 805-925-9538, Joe Pasinato 805-961-5745

GOLETA, CA…Los Padres National Forest officials today announced that the La Brea Fire Area Closure will be reduced in size. Colson Canyon Road from the Forest boundary to and including Colson Campground will be re-opened for public use. This popular recreation site was not in the area burned by the La Brea Fire and has been determined safe for public use while still protecting the burned area and allowing recovery efforts to continue.

The road and campground will be subject to closures during wet weather. The general area in and around the La Brea Fire will likely remain closed until July 1, 2010. This closure will allow the areas affected by the fire a chance to heal as new growth vegetation begins to appear and crews continue working to rehabilitate the area. The closure prohibits public entry to all national forest lands, trails, roads and recreation sites within the closure area specified below. The closure applies only to national forest lands and does not affect private lands within the national forest boundary.

Specifically, the La Brea Fire Closure Area includes the following loop:

The La Brea Fire Closure Area begins three miles north of Pine Canyon Fire Station on State Highway 166 at its intersection with the boundary of the Los Padres National Forest; then continues northeasterly along State Highway 166 to its intersection with the boundary of the Los Padres National Forest; then continues southeasterly along the boundary of the Los Padres National Forest to its intersection with the Schoohouse Canyon dozer line; then continues south to its intersection with the Sierra Madre Ridge Road (Forest Road No. 32S13); then continues south along the west side of Sierra Madre Ridge Road to its intersection with Wellman Canyon; then continues southwesterly in Wellman Canyon to its intersection with the Sisquoc River; then continues west along the south side of the Sisquoc River to its intersection with the forest boundary; then continues north along the forest boundary back to the south side of Colson Canyon Road, then continues east along the south side of Colson Canyon Road to its intersection with the Colson Canyon Campground entrance, then continues around Colson Canyon Campground and west along the north side of Colson Canyon Road to its intersection with the Forest boundary, then continues north along the Forest boundary back to the starting point. Forest visitors are encouraged to contact the Santa Lucia Ranger District at 805-925-9538 for detailed information regarding the closure and general information about the area.