SONORA, California – Stanislaus National Forest Supervisor Jason Kuiken signed forest order STF-16-2019-12, again amending the forest areas closed due to the Donnell Fire. The revision is scheduled to expire Dec. 31, 2019, although as conditions allow other areas will reopen.
“The original forest order was signed to protect the public from risk of hazard trees, the high potential for debris flow and the risk from rock fall and flooding, and with this revised forest order that remains true for some areas that are still at high risk,” Kuiken said.
Summit and Mi-Wok District Ranger Sarah LaPlante said most of the land closed under the original order has reopened to the public, and the forest continues to work with cabin owners and area businesses to recover from the fire. “Our recreation and maintenance crews are out inspecting and repairing infrastructure as quickly as possible. This winter has been unusually cool and we still have significant snow in higher elevations.
“We are undertaking a visitor education campaign to raise awareness of increased hazards that exist in the forest,” LaPlante said. “We have installed signs and posted notices to alert the public about the temporary prohibitions to roads and trails. We will continue to conduct safety assessments and reevaluate the area's condition and risk from the fire's affects. As assessments are completed we expect more sections to reopen to the public,” LaPlante said.
The closure order includes forest roads 6N34Y, 6N33Y (Double Dome Road) and 6N06 (Fence Creek Road). Trails that remain closed include 20E08 (Eagle Creek Trail), 20E07 (Seven Pines Trail) and 20E05 (Arnot Creek Trail). For a complete list of roads and recreation areas, view the forest order and accompanying map at https://go.usa.gov/xUvWQ.
The Donnell Fire ignited at 5:49 p.m. Aug. 1, 2018 near Donnell Lake on Highway 108 east of Pinecrest. It burned more than 36,000 acres before being officially noted as out Dec. 17, 2018.
