Re: Rim Fire Closures Lifted

I just got this in a NPS Yosemite email.

Yosemite National Park Reopens Areas Affected by Rim Fire

Yosemite National Park reopens areas that were previously closed because of the Rim Fire. All areas previously closed, including the Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias and hiking trails in the Hetch Hetchy area, are now open to the public. Visitors traveling in the areas impacted by last year’s Rim Fire should be aware of potential risks including hazardous trees, uneven ground, potential rockfall, and down and dead debris on trails.

Fire restrictions put in place last summer and fall have also been rescinded. It is possible, however, that fire restrictions may be needed later this year due to the extreme drought conditions found in California.

The Rim Fire, which started on August 17, 2013 in Stanislaus National Forest, burned approximately 255,000 acres, with approximately 77,000 acres within Yosemite National Park. The affected areas have been closed to the public since the start of the fire.

For a detailed closure area and a map of all affected areas, please visit http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/rimfire.htm.

I received that email too.

Here's the full text of the email sent by the National Park Service (NPS):

---

Rim Fire Closures Lifted in Yosemite and MRP ROD Signed
April 2, 2014

Yosemite National Park Reopens Areas Affected by Rim Fire
Yosemite National Park reopens areas that were previously closed because of the Rim Fire. All areas previously closed, including the Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias and hiking trails in the Hetch Hetchy area, are now open to the public. Visitors traveling in the areas impacted by last year’s Rim Fire should be aware of potential risks including hazardous trees, uneven ground, potential rockfall, and down and dead debris on trails.

Fire restrictions put in place last summer and fall have also been rescinded. It is possible, however, that fire restrictions may be needed later this year due to the extreme drought conditions found in California.

The Rim Fire, which started on August 17, 2013 in Stanislaus National Forest, burned approximately 255,000 acres, with approximately 77,000 acres within Yosemite National Park. The affected areas have been closed to the public since the start of the fire.

For a detailed closure area and a map of all affected areas, please visit http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/rimfire.htm.

Merced River Plan Record of Decision Signed
National Park Service Pacific West Regional Director Chris Lehnertz signed the Record of Decision (ROD) for Merced Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan (MRP) on Monday, March 31, 2014.The MRP identifies a long-term management strategy for the segments of the river that flow through Yosemite National Park and the El Portal Administrative Site. This is the third version of the MRP, due to litigation and a signed settlement agreement. The park received over 30,000 comments during the public comment period. The Final Plan was released to the public on February 14, 2014, and received favorable public opinion. Several supportive editorials were published in newspapers around the region.

A copy of the Merced Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan Record of Decision as well as the final environmental impact statement is available at http://www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/mrp_finalplan.htm.

---

Wow. They reopened it a lot sooner than I thought. Time to go to Lake Vernon and check out what the aftermath of the fire looks like.