[pct-l] July 29, New Plumas NF fire Rich Bar Incident closes Hwy 70 between Belden, Quincy

[mattjolley at comcast.net]

Hwy 70 closed hard.
This is about 4 miles East of Belden and about 13 miles West of Quincy.
Fire Fighters from the Canyon Fire redirected this afternoon to Serpentine Canyon area in
  Feather River canyon,  fire was on both sides of Hwy 70.

 Concern about rapid spread past 80 acres size this PM.

http://www.plumasnews.com/


Re  Plumas NF closures.

 Yes I am  a little concerned about potential downwind areas after examples such as the
  Panther fire near Yosemite this week,  going to 26,000 acres in about one day,  or 
  fires running up the canyons.

  The PNF Canyon fire complex did not reach the PCT from the fire maps in the Plumas NF,
  so once
  things settle down,  there does not have to be the hazard analysis and removal such as 
  is taking place just North in the Lassen NF where the PCT was in the middle of the fire.

  The still closed area border was apparently made for the ease of the Plumas NF,  since
  the PCT meandered into the closed Forest Disctrict a few hundred yards at most.
  But later,  the fire was within a mile or two of the PCT in that area south of the wilderness,
  and the PCT was closed at the closest paved road much farther away.
  Perhaps the closure orders in this case were not aggressive enough at the worst time,
  and too conservative at others.    

  PCT hikers did report the fire being very close in the Buck Lakes Wilderness earlier.

  Matt

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: "AsABat" <AsABat at 4Jeffrey.Net> 

> > The Forest has rescinded the closure in the Bucks Lake Wilderness, 
> > known on previous maps as Closure Area 2, effective today, July 28, 
> 2008. 
> > Other Forest Closures remain in effect. 
> > Please review closure information on the forest website at: 
> > www.fs.fed.us/r5/Plumas 
> > or call: M-F 8:00am-4:30pm (530) 283-2050. 
> > 
> > The Pacific Crest Trail closure order 05-08 has not yet been 
> modified. 
> > http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/plumas/forest_orders/ 
> 
> The irony: Bucks Lake Wilderness is open but the PCT is closed from the 
> northern Plumas NF boundary (north of Bucks Lake Wilderness) to 
> Quincy-LaPorte Road (south of Bucks Lake Wilderness). Hm, doesn't tha t 
> mean the PCT thru Bucks Lake Wilderness is closed? 
> 
> > Trail information on Plumas NF web site. 
> > Pacific Crest Trail - from Bucks Summit to Spanish Peak Open 
> > Pacific Crest Trail - from Belden Open 
> > Pacific Crest Trail - north to Lassen National Forest Boundary Open 
> 
> Yes, but that website also says it was last updated on May 17... 
> 
> Thanks, Matt and Piper's Mom, for keeping us up to date - especially 
> since the government websites aren't doing a great job of it. 
> 
>