Inyo National Forest
Inyo National Forest Supervisor Lesley Yen gave the Board of Supervisors a rundown on forest closure policies, put in place in the late summer of 2020 and 2021, explaining the decisions as a “last resort.”
With little winter precipitation and record-setting heat waves across the West, the Forest Service had to make draconian decisions on closures and restrictions. The Inyo National Forest campgrounds and trails were closed to overnight campers two years in a row. According to Yen, the closures were initiated due to staffing levels. As an example, she explained the number of Hot Shots available for INF fires had been reduced from 30 to 20 due to deployments to other wild-land fires.
Big fires are the issue, Yen said. “We look at fuel moisture, weather. These are the things that inform restrictions.” While she agreed with the closures, Yen explained “they were not entirely my decision.”
Yen outlined steps being taken to improve surge capacity to deal with the growing intensity and frequency of forest fires. Part of that solution involves funding to address wages as well as fuel reduction programs.
The town of Mammoth Lakes is currently the center of a “donut,” as crews thin the trees surrounding the donut hole. In the event of a forest fire, the intensity and growth of future fires would be reduced for lack of fuel, allowing time for a strong defense of the community.
The Forest is putting together a “playbook,” Yen said, to establish procedures going forward. One element of those procedures is signage to notify visitors of closures and fire restrictions. Also under consideration is a system of staged closures, allowing day-use but no overnight camping in the back country.
Communities on the Eastside saw an influx of new campers, identified as the source of a lot of the problems, during 2020 as So.Cal. residents seemed to pour up U.S. Hwy. 395 to escape Los Angeles during COVID restrictions and closures. The campers were the issue. As Yen said, “hikers don’t start forest fires.”
Supervisor Matt Kingsley and forest lease holders Lynn Greer and Supervisor Jennifer Roeser requested modification to full closure orders. Kingsley suggested different levels of closures, allowing permitees to continue to operate. Greer pointed out INF lessees could help educate visitors as to what restrictions were in place.
Inyo National Forest Supervisor Lesley Yen gave the Board of Supervisors a rundown on forest closure policies, put in place in the late summer of 2020 and 2021, explaining the decisions as a “last resort.” Why did the the feds exclude the county supervisors from the discussion about closing the… Read more »
Closing trails in the high country never makes sense. Not only do hikers and backpackers not cause fires, they’d have a hard time doing it if they tried. The fuel load to sustain serious fires just isn’t there. I agree that the situation in the Lodgepole – Jeffery forest with… Read more »
3 strikes and your out. Keep it all open next year. No excuses.
Instead of shaking there heads and throwing their hands up, I wish the Forest Service as a whole would be more proactive about insisting Congress fund them better to manage the increased visitation and fire danger! I would hope theyd be excited about the increased visitation to the national treasures… Read more »
I agree with the closures. There is too many darn tourists on the local trails.
Those “tourists” have every much of a right to be there as anyone local. It’s public land, period.
Frankly Speaking. Correct….the tourists do have every right to be there. But if you spent much time the last couple years visiting the Alabama Hills,other “free” BLM lands,the June Lake area,even up and into the Bridgeport area the last two Summers,you might agree with “Your Supervisor’s ” post more than… Read more »
Yeah, before it was “public land” the Native Americans hiked, lived, and hunted there and you know what? They didn’t trash the land. You obviously haven’t seen what the hordes of tourists have done to the trails. You haven’t seen the fitly feces-covered bathrooms (Big Pine Trail). You haven’t seen… Read more »
Just seeking some clarification, the Inyo NF hosts one Hotshot crew which is staffed with 20 people not 30. The crew is a national fire resources and spends the majority of its availability period, Aprox May-October away on fire assignments. So what specifically was meant in the stated example? A… Read more »