Currently, there are several major California wildfires that have ignited in Southern California including the Bobcat Fire in Azusa, CA and the El Dorado Fire in Yucaipa, CA, as well as several wildfires in Northern California and the Western States.
With the current dry, hot conditions, Santa Ana winds forecasted and firefighting resources stretched thin, the USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region has announced the following temporary closures and fire restrictions to provide for public safety and reduce the potential for human-caused fire starts. The closures will be re-evaluated daily as conditions change.
National Forests Closures in California
- Closure of the following National Forests:
Stanislaus National Forest
Sierra National Forest
Sequoia National Forest
Inyo National Forest
Los Padres National Forest
Angeles National Forest
San Bernardino National Forest
Cleveland National Forest - Prohibition of the use of any ignition source on all National Forest System lands (campfires, gas stoves, etc.) throughout California.
- Closure of all developed campgrounds and day-use sites on National Forests in California.
Cycling Destinations Impacted
For cyclists, the National Forest closures due to the California wildfires will impact trail use for mountain biking and hiking. Road closures will also impact road cycling and driving in the mountains to mountain destinations.
Mountain Resorts Closed
Some of California’s favorite recreation spots, such as Mammoth, Big Bear Mountain Resort and the Claremont Hills Wilderness Park, are currently closed due to the fires or as a fire prevention effort.
From Big Bear Mountain Resort – “The US Forest Service has temporarily closed the San Bernardino National Forest and prohibited all recreation activities due to extreme fire danger • We have suspended all operations at #SnowSummit the weekend of Sept. 11-13 to ensure the safety of our guests, employees, and community while allowing resources and firefighting personnel to be deployed effectively • We will continue to monitor the situation and work with the USFS to resume operations when conditions are safe.”
Mammoth Mountain – “Earlier today, the U.S. Forest Service announced extensive closures to National Forests and developed campgrounds across the state due to extreme fire danger. In compliance with this order, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area will be suspending summer operations including the Bike Park, Scenic Gondola rides, Via Ferrata and Camp High Sierra at the end of the day today (Monday 9/7). We will remain closed until the order is lifted and conditions are safe to resume.”
The popular Claremont Hills Wilderness Park is currently closed through September 13, 2020. The Claremont Hills Wilderness Park is scheduled to reopen on Sunday, but it is possible that the closure could be extended if the conditions remain dangerous. Stay tuned for closure updates >
Unsafe Air Quality
With ash falling from the sky and smoke heavy in the air, the air quality is unhealthy in many areas and is not advised to ride in or work out in the smoky air.
To see if it is safe to ride in your area, you can look at the IQAir Map which shows the Air Quality for specific zip codes.
Stay safe everyone!
