Los Padres Forest Issues Closure Order Following Storm Damage
LosPadresForest
January 13, 2023, 3:48 am
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By the Los Padres National Forest
Los Padres National Forest officials today issued a 60-day closure order for four ranger districts in response to the extreme winter storm that delivered punishing rain and wind across the Forest this week. This closure order takes effect immediately.
The closure order will be superseded or terminated when conditions and recreational access improves. Forest employees will be assessing the extent of the damage over the coming weeks and months and will scale back the closure based on improving conditions.
Over the last month, Los Padres received more than 100 percent of its annual rainfall along with extremely damaging wind events. The “atmospheric river” delivered record rainfall amounts January 8-10 ranging from 17 inches at San Marcos Pass on the Santa Barbara RD to 18 inches in the Ojai RD backcountry. These weather events have caused flooding, debris flows, slope failures, bridge, road and trail failures, and serious impacts to administrative and recreation facilities.
Public access to Los Padres recreation sites is limited or not currently possible due to compromised roadways. Weather forecasts predict additional precipitation at variable intensities and amounts over the next week on top of already saturated conditions. Future storm events are expected to compound existing damage.
The full extent of damage to the Forest will be known once a full assessment is completed, which will likely take many weeks. Forest personnel are continuing to work with city, county and state partners on post-storm damage assessments and repairs when conditions are safe for work and travel.
“We’re taking this precautionary step to ensure visitor safety as we determine the extent of the damage and develop a strategy to prioritize and address the extensive impacts to infrastructure and natural resources,” said Los Padres Forest Supervisor Chris Stubbs. “I’m asking the public to heed the closure order while these recovery efforts are underway. My intention is to re-open closed areas as soon as it’s safe to do so.”
Forest Service law enforcement officers will strictly enforce the closure order, which carries a penalty of $5,000 and/or six months in jail.
For more information, please visit Los Padres National Forest’s website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf.
Written by LosPadresForest
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30 Comments
60 days right off the bat seems excessive for public lands…….
Why? Do you know anything specific about the extent of the damage done (more than the authorities responsible for maintaining the public lands) that leads you to the conclusion that 60 days is “excessive”? Please enlightne us. Perhaps if you offered to volunteer for trail maintenance with the Bucket Brigade or Montecito Trails Association, you might be able to get on the public land you’re so insensed about being denied access to.
Why do you care some much that some of us aren’t happy about this 60 day closure? How does it affect you?
Wait…. so for the next 60 days you could be fined or jailed for entering the Los Padres Forest at any point? No Cachuma fishing, no checking out the SY River, no entry of any kind? The order itself says “Going into or being upon any area….” So we’re basically being banned from the forest for the next 2 months?
You answered your own question. Yes, it is prohibited. That sucks
JIMBO – if that’s really the case, they better clear out the jails. This is ridiculous. Close certain roads or areas, fine. But don’t shut down the entire forest. 60 days puts us at mid-March. I’ll be up there before then fishing. Public property!
Cachuma is a County Park.
Sac – you seem like a self-serving liberal. Easy if it’s bashing Trump – but not if it messes with your fishing.
THOMAS JOHN – what a weird and backward comment and assumption. Are you saying because I’m upset about this shutdown, I can’t be a “true liberal?” What are you saying? Liberals are happy to accept shutdowns and only conservatives oppose them? You’re wrong on all counts though.
I’ve noticed a lot of articles have mentioned the record rainfall recorded on the San Marcos pass. I think it’s helpful to put these records in context. The data for the San Marcos pass goes back to the the 1965-1966 water year. Data for Santa Barbara goes back to 1868 on the county hydrology website. The wettest year in Santa Barbara was 1997, with the 1940-1941 water year coming in a close second. It will be interesting to see how much more rain we get this water year and whether we challenge those records. In addition, I would be very curious to know how much rain fell in Santa Barbara during the great flood of 1861-1862 when the Goleta slough was filled in with sediment and the Central Valley became an inland sea. Does know of any rainfall measurements taken in Santa Barbara county recording this event?
Good! That means YOU!
4:38 – What’s good about closing access to the entire forest for 2 months? What is about blanket bans that people seem to like so much? Are you one of those folks who gets upset whenever a hiker is injured and requires extraction? Shutting down an entire forest is ridiculous.
why is this such a burden to you?
Because I enjoy hiking, fishing and exploring our vast public forest. With beautiful weather this weekend, I was looking forward to getting outdoors and taking a stroll where it’s safe to do so. Damn… I must be a monster to even question this, huh?
What a joke. Catch me if you can.
I keep paying for the annual pass ($50) and getting to use it for, uh, half the year. I understand that some clean-up is required, but, really, it takes 2 months to clean up some small mudslides on Paradise Road? Hmmm.
I’d like to redirect everyone to the second paragraph. Pretend it’s all in bold:
“The closure order will be superseded or terminated **when conditions and recreational access improves. Forest employees will be assessing the extent of the damage over the coming weeks and months and will scale back the closure based on improving conditions.”
Maybe read more carefully?
Why do people react like spoiled children to efforts to promote public welfare and protect public resources?
The joys of anonymous, faceless reactivity on the internet…
7:42 – because it’s the ENTIRE forest, not just certain roads, camps, areas. It’s absurd to close the whole park. Sure, they’ll reassess it, but that they have the power to so easily shut down access to tens of thousands of acres of our public land is frustrating. Weird how I’m the only one not gleefully swallowing this.
11:22, that’s exactly what they’re trying to do. Read the 2nd paragraph
Excellent and humorous observation
Because closing 2 MILLION acres of public land for 60 days is ridiculous. You’re telling me they can’t prioritize heavily used areas and get those open within a few weeks? Show us the damage then. Public lands should be a priority to keep open.
They have the past president for a role model.
From my first hand experience, many of these “officials” are lazy so this to me smacks of a self imposed 60 day vacation. Ridiculous and should be challenged in court.
Please explain your ‘first hand experience”.
Andréa- You are correct.
Government employees don’t care if you get to enjoy your forest.
They still get paid, and honestly I don’t think they care one bit.
2 months to drive around and check roads and sites? how about 1 week 1 ranger and get back to us?
Instead of complaining about no access for 60 days, needed for repairs, COMPLAIN to the Oil Industry who has taken AWAY OUR Public Lands with NO ACCESS PERMANENTLY!!! Destroying the Ecosystem, polluting water aquifers, and any fishing or other you are considering!!!
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