Stanislaus National Forest
Sierra Sun Times file photo

July 20, 2017 - Sonora, Calif.– Due to high fire danger, the Stanislaus National Forest enacted temporary fire restrictions in High Hazard Areas on July 20, effective through the end of the official 2017 fire season.  Included are the High Hazard Area map (Exhibit A), the Forest Order (Exhibit B) and the exemptions list (Exhibit C). Information on fire restrictions and the Forest Order are available at https://go.usa.gov/xRjQ5.

Forest Order STF-16-2017-05 prohibits campfires, briquette barbecues and smoking outside developed campgrounds. Welding and blasting activities in are also restricted in designated High Hazard Areas of the Forest.

In specific cases, individuals may be exempt from these fire restrictions. For further information, please review the Forest Order and High Hazard Area map on the Forest web site. This Forest Order serves as an extra measure to help reduce the potential for large and damaging wildfires.

Stanislaus National Forest leadership and fire personnel thank the public for doing their part to help prevent destructive wildfires. Please know the restrictions in High Hazard Areas will be actively patrolled by Forest law enforcement officers and fire prevention specialists. Persons found in violation of these fire restrictions may be cited and fined.

Criteria for activating prohibitions in the High Fire Hazard Area through a forest order is based on National Fire Danger Rating System indices and fuel moisture conditions. The Forest currently meets the criteria for activating the High Fire Hazard fire restrictions using the Mt. Elizabeth weather station as a representative site. These restrictions are believed to be the most immediate and effective method to reduce the potential for loss of life and property, and to protect the physical, biological, and cultural resources of the forest from fire.

The mission of the U.S. Forest Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the nation's forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world. Public lands the Forest Service manages contribute more than $13 billion to the economy each year through visitor spending alone. Those same lands provide 20 percent of the nation's clean water supply, a value estimated at $7.2 billion per year. The agency has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 80 percent of the 850 million forested acres within the U.S., of which 100 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.

For information on fire restrictions or other Forest information, please call:

Stanislaus NF Supervisor’s Office:  209-532-3671

Calaveras Ranger District:  209-795-1381

Groveland Ranger District 209-962-7825

Mi-Wok Ranger District at 209-586-3234 (Fridays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

Summit Ranger District at 209-965-3434.
Source: Stanislaus National Forest