Rainy day sets up forest reopenings
By LISA FAUGHT and MATT BENDER, Staff writers
Friday's good soaking was just what the local
forests needed.
Much land in the San Bernardino and Angeles
National Forests was reopened to the public
Friday after as much as 4 inches of rain fell.
"I hope the rain continues,' San
Bernardino National Forest Supervisor Gene
Zimmerman said. "Our forest is clearly in need
of moisture, but forest visitors need to
remember that the forest has been in a drought for
four years.
"The vegetation is unlikely to recover with just one
good storm. The danger of fire still exists ... be
careful out there.'
The Blue Cut and Louisiana fire areas near
Lytle Creek and the San Jacinto Ranger District
south of Interstate 10 remain closed, and campfires
remain banned throughout the forest.
People with woodcutting permits that expired during the
closure can take them to their local ranger stations or the
Big Bear Discovery Center in Big Bear Lake to get
extensions, forest spokeswoman Tricia Abbas said.
Plenty of cut wood is available for people to cart away,
she said.
"Our fire crews have been working really hard to cut
down some of the dead and dying trees,' she said.
Also, Adventure Passes that were valid as of Sept. 1
will be extended for an additional three months, and
hunters who were unable to hunt during the closure
may apply for an additional extension, Abbas said.
The San Bernardino National Forest has been closed
since Oct. 3 because of the extreme fire danger.
The Angeles National Forest had been closed six
weeks. Forest Supervisor Jody Cook ordered it
reopened following a day of steady rain.
The Angeles National Forest is reopening immediately,
but with a severe caution to people, said Matt Mathes,
spokesman for national forests in California.
"A recently burned steep slope equals a mud slide,
which is a very real threat in the San Gabriel and San
Dimas canyons,' he said. "People should avoid those
canyons.'
The majority of the forest is open, but a few burned
areas are still off limits.
The land destroyed by the Stables, Bouquet and Copper
fires on the north side of the forest will be closed for
rehabilitation until Sept. 2.
Highway 39 is open up to the East Fork Bridge, but
closed beyond to clear the way for Caltrans to replace
guard rails destroyed by fire and to protect drivers from
tumbling rocks.
Cook ordered the closure of the entire Angeles National
Forest on Sept. 24, as fire swept through the mountains
above Azusa, San Dimas, La Verne, Claremont and
Glendora. The Curve and Williams blazes scorched more
than 58,000 acres of forest, leaving the slopes bare of
vegetation.
The Cleveland National Forest will remain closed until
more rain falls, officials said.
