Re: Deep Creek Hot Springs closed

I located the article (but haven't had time to read it):

Local News - San Bernardino
San Bernardino forest to close

FIRE DANGER: Some areas, such as Big Bear Lake, will remain open for recreational use.

10/04/2002

By GEORGE WATSON
THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE

Most of the San Bernardino National Forest will close at noon today because forestry officials believe severe fire and drought conditions are endangering mountain residents and outdoor enthusiasts.

But in the announcement made Thursday by the U.S. Forest Service, land will remain open in concentrated areas of recreation that are easy to control. That means places such as Big Bear Lake and the Discovery Center will remain open.

The timing is unfortunate for hunters because the rifle season is about to begin.

But many people with links to the wilderness supported the move. Residents said they have lived in fear of being evacuated for months, and the forest closing lessens the chance of accidental fires.

Business owners wanted to assure the public, namely tourists who are the backbone for their economy, that they are still open.

"It's unfortunate but they have to do it," said Tom Harris, the owner of Cedar Glen Trading Post in Lake Arrowhead.

Dry summer

The closure is one more indication of how dangerously dry this summer has been in the region. The San Bernardino forest has suffered through four fires of more than 20,000 acres, and the Inland boating season has been especially poor. The Angeles National Forest closed a week ago.

Forestry authorities had little choice but to make the most significant closure since shutting down the forest in the early 1970s, said Mike Dietrich, the U.S. Forest Service's chief there.

Officials met in June to compile trigger points for closing the forest. Every point had been hit in the past few days, Dietrich said. Those consisted of the probability of Santa Ana winds; a record low in vegetation moistures; numerous trees killed by Pine beetles; the Angeles forest closure; and a declaration of emergency by many county agencies.

California announced Thursday that access to two state parks adjoining the national forest also will be restricted today because of the extreme fire danger. Back-country roads and trails in the wilderness areas of Mt. San Jacinto State Park between Idyllwild and Palm Springs and Silverwood Lake State Recreation area in the San Bernardino Mountains will be off-limits for day use and backpack camping.

The state said day use and camping areas outside wilderness areas will remain open, but open fires such as campfires or grills are not permitted. Camp stoves will be permitted in designated campsites only in the two parks and smoking is restricted to designated areas.

Tramway open

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, which carries riders from the desert floor up into Mt. San Jacinto State Park, will remain open regular hours, according to the tramway's Web site. Nature trails near the Long Valley mountain station also remain open.

Dietrich said hunters have expressed the most disappointment. But he said hunters might smoke or, because of the cold, decide to start a fire.

Jesse James, a deer hunter from Redlands, blamed the extreme fire danger on mismanagement by government wildlife officials. He called the closure "boneheaded."

"If they can't trust the recreation people, what about the people who live there? . . . They should evacuate the forest if they think people are going to set fires either accidentally or on purpose," James said.

James said hunters pay $31 for a license, and another $20 for a permit to hunt deer. Many, like James, buy a second deer tag for $25, permitting them to hunt in another area. The monthlong closure will all but cover the local deer season, James said. While some hunters may wait in hopes the closure will be lifted, others will head north to hunt in the Sierras, he said.

Impact on business

Al Baken, a taxidermist in Apple Valley, said he was worried about the closure.

"It's definitely going to have an impact on the volume I get because most everything is local," Baken said.

Carol Braun, the owner of Mountain Greenery Rentals & Realty in Idyllwild, is like many business owners in Idyllwild and Big Bear Lake who depend heavily on tourists. But like many owners, Braun applauded the closure, saying the fire danger is real.

Jane Ann Thomsen, who works for Big Bear Jeep Tours, said her company's season is now over because of the closure but pointed out it would have wrapped up in mid-October.

"We're sad, but not devastated," she said. "I think it's a good preventative practice. I love it up here. I want to keep it."

Staff writers Michael Fisher, Katie Ismael and Gail Wesson contributed to this report.