US Forest Service, Sequoia National Forest
Contact: Geri Adams

Piute Mountains Forest Order In Effect

Lake Isabella , CA., July 23, 2009...Sequoia National Forest Supervisor Tina Terrell has issued a Forest Order prohibiting the possession of or using a motor vehicle off national Forest System roads within the Piute area. Forest order 09-04 has been put into place to prevent resource damage in the Piute area. This Forest Order will remain in effect through May 1, 2010. The boundary of the Piute Area covered under this order incorporates the Piute Fire within the Sequoia National Forest. The closure area is identical to the closure instituted last fall immediately to the fire. The area was open back up to Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) use upon termination of the previous order. Monitoring and re-evaluation of conditions has shown that additional protection and mitigation measures are necessary to protect the resource.

All motor vehicles, including OHV's are restricted to roads only. Some roads may also be closed in the area if excessive resource damage exists or they are deemed unsafe for public use.

The exemptions to this order are: land owners or lessees of private land within the Piute area to the extent to gain access to their land, persons who reside on private land within the Piute area to the extent necessary to gain access to their residences, and any federal, state, or member of an organized rescue or firefighting force, in the performance of an official duty.

For more information on the Forest Order please call the Lake Isabella Visitor Center at (760) 379-5646 or the Kernville Ranger Station at (760) 376-3781.