So. Calif Fires

imported
#1

The fire of most immediate concern to PCT hikers (any SOBOs out there still?) Is the “Grand Prix” fire. It’s located a few miles south of the PCT, southeast of Wrightwood. It’s expanding to the north, as show in the last two day’s Forest Service fire maps. There’s a paved road north of the current fire boundary, but based on my memory of the area and similar fires in, say, Malibu, the fire could easily jump the road.

There was a fire a few weeks ago in Lone Pine canyon, just a few miles north of the Grand Prix fire, closer to the PCT. The area is very dry, and any chaparral that hasn’t burned in the last 7 years or so (some of this area hasn’t burned in the last 20 years or so) is
hazardously flammable.

The Angeles National Forest has already begun shutting down forest roads due to the high fire hazard in the mountains and the limited amount of equipment and personnel avaiable to safeguard the public in the forest.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/angeles/news/2003/news-2003-10-22-chantry-gate-temporarily-closed.shtml

This is not the only fire in Southern California at present. The Grand Prix fire, along with some of the others, is suspected of having been set by arson.

I would not be surprised to see forest closures, like we had last fall, if these conditions (weather and social) continue. For now,the PCT remains open, so far as I can tell. Please note, NO OPEN FIRES are currently allowed outside developed campgrounds. Only fuel stove-type fires are allowed in the backcountry, and please be cautions with these. Camp with care.

Craig “Computer” Rogers

#2

The Grand Prix fire, west of Cajon pass, is growing north and west. The Old fire (named after Old Waterman road or canyon, I expect) seems to be growing in all directions. The Los Angeles Times has a story in which a Forest Service ranger is quoted as saying that they expect the two fires to merge!!!

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-102603fires_wr,1,6754725.story?coll=la-home
±headlines

This is scary stuff. The Cajon Pass corridor is being
evacuated (but not Wrightwood, yet). Lake Arrowhead is being evacuated. It appears that preparations are being made on the assumption that nothing will stop these two fires as they march north toward Wrightwood and Silverwood Lake, except for recent burns (such as last year’s Blue Cut fire on the north portion of the Cajon Pass).

My personal opinion is that if you know any hikers on the PCT, or on any forest trails between, say, Mount Wilson and Big Bear City (I see no reason why the the fire could not eventually reach Big Bear,BTW),

                   GET THEM OFF THE TRAIL.

If you can’t contact them directly, contact the Forest Service with their presumed whereabouts.

I dislike being so full of gloom and doom, but the smoke
filling Southern California’s sky is very, very gloom-and-doomy at the moment. The local segments of the PCT may look very different for next year’s class, if the trail is open at all (the trail could be closed for rehabilitation under a worst-case scenario).

Craig “Computer” Rogers

#3

I’m told that the Grand Prix and Old Waterman Canyon fires have merged in Cajon Pass.

There are active forest fires in San Diego County, too. For example, there’s a large fire in the Ramona/Julian area. People have died in these fires. I have not yet determined the location of these fires with regard to the PCT, and the Cleveland National Forest hasn’t posted any information about them yet (nor has the National Interagency Fire Center).

Craig “Computer” Rogers