Devils Postpile National Monument Announces Closure for the Season

Devils Postpile National Monument has announced that the monument will close for the winter on Monday, October 26th, 2015 at 3:00 pm. It is anticipated that the interagency prescribed fire (on Devils Postpile and Inyo National Forests lands) will occur Tuesday, October 27th. During the prescribed burn, the access road to the monument and all trails and access to the Devils Postpile formation will be closed and will remain closed for the season. The monument will open again at the start of the summer season in 2016.

According to the Inyo National Forest, the main Reds Meadow Road is anticipated to still be open, weather permitting, and the trail to Rainbow Falls will still be accessible during the prescribed burn. Traffic control will be in effect on the Reds Meadow Road during the time the prescribed burning occurs.

Prescribed fires reduce fuels for building protection by removing the amount of forest debris that can fuel an unplanned fire in hotter and drier conditions. Prescribed fires are dependent on the correct conditions for temperature, wind, relative humidity, and other factors. Under optimal conditions, fire crews conducting a prescribed fire are able to simulate a natural fire cycle. Fires can reduce forest competition and increase biodiversity of plant and animal life. In 2011, an unusual wind event resulted in the blowdown of thousands of trees, and this prescribed burn will reduce the risk of a catastrophic fire at the monument.

Deanna Dulen, park superintendent, would like to thank visitors for exploring and enjoying monument this season and invites everyone to join in the National Park Service’s Centennial celebration with Devils Postpile National Monument throughout the 2016 season.