Re: As to the closure...

I aggree wholeheartly with Ron.

The Willow Fire started in area frequented by OHV traffic not far from a USFS staging area. It was reported a motorcycle was in the vicinity of the point of origin just prior to the first report of smoke. There are many theories about the origin of the Willow Fire and no official cause has been determined.

The local residents of Juniper Flats are very concerned about the BLM plans to open the area to single track motorcycle use. The BLM has not addressed the problems assiciated with such use such as OHV non complience with designated routes, an extreme fire danger due to invasive weed proliferation mixed with an increasing urban interface, and a huge increase in erosive illegal route proliferation. Our concerns are falling upon deaf ears as the lead BLM official is a former employee of the California Off Road Vehicle Association. We can expect no help with law enforcement as resources are stressed to the limit due to lack of funding.

Since much of the route proliferation has been done by Ranger Nelson's volunteer motorcycle patrol, the collusion is self evident. The trail they have created goes from Round Up way and Bonita Vista, across Juniper Flats, through and ACEC created to protect archiological and riparian resources, past the southern side of the Village where an erosive hillclimb is an ugly reminder of what is to come should they succede in this plan. This trail continues along the north side of Round Mountain and up to 3N59A where the USFS fence has been cut and tresspass into the USFS non motorized area has occured.

All it takes is one spark from a modified dirt bike and the hills will catch fire again.