With O.C. and L.A. beaches closed, forest officials prepare for larger crowds in the mountains for Fourth of July

 In blog, Crime News: Los Angeles Daily News

With O.C. and L.A. beaches closed, forest officials prepare for larger crowds in the mountains for Fourth of July

by Nathaniel Percy

With beaches closed throughout Los Angeles and Orange Counties because of the coronavirus pandemic, forest officials are anticipating larger crowds in the mountains as people look for ways to get outside for the Fourth of July.

But with those larger crowds, officials worry about an increased risk for wildfires.

“The grass on these hillsides are very dry,” U.S. Forest Service spokesman John Clearwater said Wednesday as firefighters dealt with the Rowher fire in the Angeles National Forest. “With a wind behind it, it doesn’t take much for a spark to get a fire going.”

The fire started at Rowher Flats, a popular staging area for off-road vehicles. By Thursday, it had ballooned to 620 acres with 60% containment, officials said.

The Rowher Flats area would be closed over the holiday weekend due to fire danger and the ongoing firefighting efforts, officials said Thursday.

The blaze coincided with fire crews preparing for a busy Fourth of July weekend, Clearwater said.

Officials expect tens of thousands of would-be beachgoers to head to the mountains instead, he added.

Because many fireworks shows have been canceled, also because of the pandemic, Clearwater expects crowds that normally would have left about 8 p.m. to stick around longer. Crews were worried people could set off fireworks in the forest, which could start a wildfire.

Fireworks are banned on all federal land.

“It’s kind of shaping up to be a perfect storm,” Clearwater said. “It all comes down to what kind of winds are behind it.”

A jump in visitors was also anticipated in the San Bernardino National Forest, though it might take a bit longer to get there on Route 330, where CalTrans has a construction project near Running Springs that takes the road down to one lane, officials said.

Forest officials were reminding guests that fireworks were prohibited, as were fires not contained within a Forest Service-provided metal fire ring or barbecue grill. Officials said the forest will be fully staffed in anticipation of more visitors and heightened temperatures.

Those planning on using fire rings in a yellow post site must have a valid California Campfire Permit, which is free online, officials with the San Bernardino National Forest said.

Illegal campfires have been an issue, officials said, with a 150% jump through early June from last year’s totals during the same period.

“Just last week, Forest Service personnel extinguished two illegal campfires that turned into small wildfires,” said Zach Behrens, spokesman for the San Bernardino forest.

Officials also warned that ground fires could continue to smolder long after they’ve been put out and could reignite again long after visitors leave.

“If it’s not cool to the touch, it isn’t out,” Behrens said.

Lake Arrowhead, meanwhile, canceled its Fourth of July fireworks show Wednesday, July 1, but hopes to reschedule at a more appropriate time.

“I know all in the Lake Arrowhead community will be disappointed,” Alan Kaitz, an Arrowhead Lake Association board member, wrote in an email, “but unfortunately, we are in difficult times and our governing authorities are tasked with making hard decisions that they don’t want to make.

“In this time of celebration of our independence,” Kaitz added, “we must do all it takes to free ourselves from this pandemic.”

Conditions were expected to be warm and dry in the Angeles, Cleveland and San Bernardino National Forests, meteorologists said Thursday, but only the Angeles National Forest was expected to experience wind gusts.

Humidity was anticipated about 20 percent in most mountain areas, but it could be dryer in the northern portion of the San Bernardino National Forest heading toward Lucerne Valley, Meteorologist Philip Gonsalves said.

“People need to be cognizant to stay hydrated,” Gonsalves said.

As for the possibility of wildfires, experts said Saturday’s forecast did not include critical fire weather conditions.

“It’s not going to be windy, that’s one mitigating factor,” Gonsalves said of most areas, “but that doesn’t mean people don’t need to be careful.”

Temperatures were anticipated in the low- to mid-80s in the Cleveland National Forest, and into the low 90s on the lower elevations of the San Bernardino mountains.

In the Angeles National Forest, highs into the 90s were expected in lower elevations with some winds in the 20- to 30-mile-per-hour range, Meteorologist Ryan Kittell said.

“There are concerns for heat exhaustion if you’re not prepared for that,” he said.

Staff writers Jonah Valdez and Brian Whitehead contributed to this report.

All credit goes to Nathaniel Percy Originally published on https://www.dailynews.com

Recommended Posts
Contact Us

We're not around right now. But you can send us an email and we'll get back to you, asap.

Not readable? Change text. captcha txt

Start typing and press Enter to search