Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board The damage to Angeles National Forest

A volunteer wilderness ranger acquaintance of mine posted this information, along with the first pictures I've seen.

Most important to SoCal residents desiring to do Whitney, Mt Baldy is now off limits for training.

That there were so few deaths and destruction of structures is a statement of the incredible dedication and skills of our firefighters, from all different agencies, that have pitched in to fight this. I am particularly sad to hear that the Vetter Mt Fire Lookout burned down. I think they saw this one coming.

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"The forest closure will be in effect more than likely until November. I know first hand every thing from Big Pines to La Canada is closed and will remain closed until the fire is OUT!! NOT A DAY SOONER!! Then there will be all the work Cal-Trans will have to do replacing the miles & miles of guard rails burnt out and clearing the highway of all the rocks and debris. The current plan the Forest Service is going with is to keep the forest closed to all until spring 2010.

Its bad but what's worse, you have no idea how bad until you see photo's. From Big Tjunga all the way east to Rincon/Shortcut. The mountain has nothing on it. Oh there may be a pocket of green here then way over there but for the most part, kiss this forest goodby for 10 years. Yes, really. Every guard rail is burnt out, Road signs are literally melted. Animals burnt on the highway. Burn holes on the highway surface as well. In a lot of locations only one lane of the highway is there, the other half is covered in rock slides and debris.

I have never been to the moon but this can't be far from it.

The Arroyo is a total burn out, nothing green in the canyon from La Canada to Switzers & then to Red Box. The Pines picnic area that burnt late last year has tree's there still green. Some area recess' have tree's but anything exposed is gone."

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Pictures of the aftermath:

http://www.3fbikeclub.com/photos/705510/...loaded#10547472

I was out at the South Fork Trail in the SGW Saturday. I started up the trail at at 8 AM and saw 4 hikers and a volunteer out to Dry Lake...and I had Dry Lake to myself the half hour I was there.

Considering the ANF and the Vivian Creek Trail being closed and a holiday weekend, I was taken aback by lack of activity along this heavily traveled trail.

I may be a bit odd in that I like hiking in fire destroyed areas. I love watching the evolution as the forest grows back. Ken, you might be a bit off with your time estimate. The damage on Ontario Ridge is still visible 31 years after the Telegraph Fire.

Vivian Creek is closed?

this is really sad news. it will take generations before we can enjoy the forest as it was.

does anyone know whether the forest service or any other organization accepts volunteers to assist with the clean-up/rebuilding process?

It is sad, but it was destined to happen (arson or naturally). There will be more burns like this in the future. Fire suppression is the major cause and that policy is unlikely to change.

I just wish that people who move into these areas would do a better job at building a fire break around their homes and use fire resistant construction materials. It may not have made much of a difference though due to the heat intensity of this fire. I am surprised that many of these homes are even insurable.

I don't think it is economically possible or practical to have control burns over such a large area. Maybe the control burns should (and perhaps do) focus on areas that need to be saved when the inevitable fire comes through.

This area will return, faster than many believe. Trees will take longer, but other vegetation will be sprouting next spring.

There is no way to fight this type of fire without losing 10's of thousands of acres.

The Cedar fire destroyed 283,000 acres in San Diego County six years ago (thanks to a careless lost hunter) and over 99% of Rancho Cuyamaca State Park, a beautiful forested area. It looked like a moonscape for a couple of years after the fire, but it is coming back as is nature's way and is again one of my favorite places to hike in the San Diego area. Although wildfires are a natural phenomenon, unfortunately they're going to be more of a problem for California as the population continues to grow into wild areas and the climate warms. And regrettably, we'll always have arsonists with us: the Station fire was found to have been deliberately set and there's a $100,000 reward for the arsonist responsible for all the destruction and the deaths of two fire fighters.

Vivian Creek trail in the San Gorgonio Wilderness is not affected by the Station fire in the Angeles NF. I've seen this rumor elsewhere. Vivian Creek WAS closed for a few weeks in July to August due to a young bear that didn't know it's place. (Hmm, the logic behind that decision apparently doesn't apply to the bears at Whitney Portal.)

WB, not my estimate, but the estimate of the guy who was up there I was quoting. Hope you are right.

Love2, yes, there are a variety of organizations.
This site lists a bunch. I've worked with several, and they are all dedicated, good people.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/angeles/volunteering/

The front range of the San Gabes has been my stomping ground since I was a kid. I have lived in La Crescenta, Tujunga, Pasadena and Sierra Madre. I know exactly where some of those pics were taken and it saddens me to see them. But that sadness is tempered by the fact that fire and regrowth are part of a natural cycle.

Lots of info and discussion here: San Gabriel Mountains Discussion Forum

Has the fire gone as far east as Mt. Baden-Powell? Is that area closed? I sure don't want to assume anything and waste gas driving from HB up there for training. Thanks.

The fire is quite a ways from BD, although I think that is the direction the smoke is blowing. However, it is in the closure area, as I understand it.

The entire Angeles National Forest is closed.

Not entirely true. The closure is only for the San Gabriel Mountains portion of the ANF.

It's a big place.

Sorry. I knew that. I was referring to the fact that parts of the forest far from the fire (e.g., Baden Powell and Baldy) are closed.

I talked to the ranger at the Baldy Visitor Center this morning. ALL trails in the Angeles National Forest are presently closed, including Baldy, Icehouse Canyon, Lytle Creek and Baden Powell. He said the situation is being re-evaluated regularly; however, there IS a chance that the trails will be closed until next spring.

What reason is there for closing the Mt. Baldy area? I mean the fires were far from there right? And to close it until spring seems excessive....why?

I had heard about the closures last week and just wanted to hear it with my own ears. While the fire area is still a ways away from the the Baldy area, it's temperment has been very unpredictable. You can call them at 909 982-2829 for updates.

It is too bad the NFS folks consider total closure of the forest until spring of 2010 an option. It is due to that kind of thinking that I consider the last photo the best.

There is a significant portion of the Angeles National Forest that is north and west of the main body and not in the San Gabriel Mountains. That part of the ANF is open, as are its trails.

The shutdown of the San Gabriels portion is due to lack of resources to deal with the possibility of more fires. This has happened several times in recent years when there are large fires. The San Bernardino and Cleveland National forests have done similar things, although they have not acted this year. Yet.