San Bernardino National Forest officials announced that fire restrictions remain in effect for Thanksgiving week, and beyond. The early winter storm in November did little to help with the tinder and dry vegetation in much of the forest. Some lower elevation areas are even drier than they were in summer when numerous large fires broke out. Moderate Santa Ana winds are predicted for Friday. The winds usually bring cold, dry weather, but it’s a combination firefighters don’t want to see. A fire that ignites during Santa Ana winds, combined with the current dry vegetation and weather conditions, can grow rapidly and will be difficult to control. Ernest Figueroa lists some of the current fire restrictions in effect…
The shorter days and colder temperatures can make it feel like we are out of peak fire season, but that is not the case. Current fire restrictions and fire-related safety prohibitions in the San Bernardino National Forest include:
- No campfires
- No smoking
- No target shooting
- No dispersed or yellow post camping (only a few developed campgrounds are open)
- No entering the burn areas for the Apple, El Dorado, and Snow fires
A full list of restrictions and related prohibitions can be found on the National Forest website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/sbnf
