Forest Closures due to Wildfire Risk 2021

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jackiemac

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Coconino & Kaibab Forests are closing and evacuating campers and hikers.

Due to this year's heat and drought if you are planning on going into any of the National Forests I suggest you check it out in advance in case you need to change your plans.
 
A good thought, Jackie. There are currently (well, as of last night) five forest fires in Colorado, plus many more throughout much of the west. The agency that coordinates fire fighting has gone to stage 3 of their prep much earlier than last year (which was the worst season on record), and with the wet spring we have a lot more fuel that has grown, now that things are turning dry.

I just looked at a local TV website and here's more info on Colorado's fires:
 
23 in Arizona I heard. Sad.
It is not sad. Fires are a natural phenomenon necessary for a lot of plants to grow and disperse seeds. Man made fires are not so cool, but the vast majority of fires are very necessary. They clear out the litter on the forest floor. Yellowstone found out just how necessary fire is when they spent over 100 years putting out fires and then it came and bit them on the butt in 1988 when 2/3rd of the park went up in smoke.
 
It is not sad. Fires are a natural phenomenon necessary for a lot of plants to grow and disperse seeds. Man made fires are not so cool, but the vast majority of fires are very necessary. They clear out the litter on the forest floor. Yellowstone found out just how necessary fire is when they spent over 100 years putting out fires and then it came and bit them on the butt in 1988 when 2/3rd of the park went up in smoke.
Totally agree that the management has not been the best. They need to burn, its what nature intended.

The current situation is sad as the fires are probably much worse than they would have been, left to nature.
 
In their defense there was no idea that fires were a necessary evil until around 1970 when they finally figured out that fire was necessary. In the 60s there was disbelief that there were no new sequoia trees in Sequoia National Park. It had received federal protection since the 1890s and fires were always put out. So one bright ranger got permission to burn one acre for a test. A year later they had over 5000 young sequoias in that acre. Of course many people didn't believe it so it took many years and many disasters to prove that fire was necessary. Changing all the attitudes of the people in charge took a long time. But when the Yellowstone fires could not be extinguished by humans it finally convinced many of the folly of extinguishing natural fires. Lightning plays an important role in forest management. The Yellowstone fires were not put out until September when the snow did what thousands of fire workers from the armed forces and the fire departments could not do.
 
A good thought, Jackie. There are currently (well, as of last night) five forest fires in Colorado, plus many more throughout much of the west. The agency that coordinates fire fighting has gone to stage 3 of their prep much earlier than last year (which was the worst season on record), and with the wet spring we have a lot more fuel that has grown, now that things are turning dry.

I just looked at a local TV website and here's more info on Colorado's fires:
As of this morning, the National preparedness level went to Level 4. This is going to be a bad year folks. Be flexible, don’t start fires, and watch where you are heading.
 
Such a bummer for folks. I may be getting concerned as I have 3 one-nighters planned beginning Aug 22 in FS CGs, in Sawtooth, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache, and Fishlake National Forests as I head down to Capitol Reef, UT from Boise area. I know it's still 2 months, but Aug is when things REALLY ramp up. Pray for RAIN and COOL temps.

Linda
 
Last year I found this site to be very helpful when during fire season I was in CA and NV and was prohibited from staying in my planned FS CG due to fire danger.


It's an interactive map of entire US from The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG), Geospatial Multi-Agency Coordination Wildland Fire Support/USGS, NOAA Office of Satellite and Product Operations. Also provides a table with information on size, containment, etc. of each fire and tracks smoke densities as well. Updated hourly. Look only if you wish to get depressed.:cry:

Linda
 
Such a bummer for folks. I may be getting concerned as I have 3 one-nighters planned beginning Aug 22 in FS CGs, in Sawtooth, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache, and Fishlake National Forests as I head down to Capitol Reef, UT from Boise area. I know it's still 2 months, but Aug is when things REALLY ramp up. Pray for RAIN and COOL temps.

Linda
Where are you planning to go in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache areas, Linda?

The forest service office here has posted “Extreme” fire danger but, as of last weekend the Mirror Lake Highway (WY 150, Evanston to Kamas, UT), was very busy with campers. Good news this morning: Rain in the Uinta Mountains.
 
Where are you planning to go in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache areas, Linda?
Hi Rich - I'll be at Tanners Flat campground just for the night on Aug 23. Likely won't even unhitch. With the fires, all my FS campground plans are getting really iffy however. There are private parks along my weekday travel route, so if necessary I can hopefully find one-nighters to sneak into. There's also a Cracker Barrel set up for RVs from what I can see on the aerials.

Linda
 
There's been a little rain on some of the fires last night, but any relief is likely temporary unless that continues. And it wasn't major rains, just enough to aid the firefighters a little, according to last night's TV Wx segment.
 
Hi Rich - I'll be at Tanners Flat campground just for the night on Aug 23. Likely won't even unhitch. With the fires, all my FS campground plans are getting really iffy however. There are private parks along my weekday travel route, so if necessary I can hopefully find one-nighters to sneak into. There's also a Cracker Barrel set up for RVs from what I can see on the aerials.

Linda
Tanners Flat... Little Cottonwood Canyon. Drove by there lotsa times for the skiing at Snowbird.
You should have no problems.
I know that dogs are not allowed in the canyon due to the watershed, FWIW.
Happy Trails and Safe Travels!
 

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