FIREWOOD AVAILABLE (Press Release)
The Inyo National Forest is announcing a special opportunity for personal use fuelwood collection in the Mammoth Lakes Basin, effective immediately. The area will remain open for fuelwood collection until the close of the firewood collection season on October 31, 2013.
A valid 2013 personal use fuelwood permit is required, and allows for collection of dead and down wood only.
Wood permittees are required to park along the shoulder of Lake Mary Road during collection activities, and are not allowed to drive off-road for firewood retrieval. Firewood gathering will be permitted along existing roads and from open spur roads in Forest Service campgrounds.
No firewood cutting will be allowed at lodges, resorts, recreation cabins, the pack station, or any other developed site other than campgrounds. All other wood cutting regulations are in effect.
No firewood cutting will be permitted on private land. The public is asked to avoid trespass on nearby private property at Pokonobe Lodge.
Fuelwood permits may be purchased at local Forest Service Ranger Stations and Visitor Centers. Fuelwood permits are $15.00 per cord with a two cord minimum purchase. The Inyo National Forest will institute shut down days (for chainsaw use) based upon daily Project Activity Levels. Permit holders can call (760) 873-2555 for information on shut down days.
Fuelwood permits may be obtained at the following locations:
Mono Basin Scenic Area Visitor Center in Lee Vining; (760) 647-3044
Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center in Mammoth Lakes; (760) 924-5500
White Mountain Ranger Station in Bishop; (760) 873-2500
InterAgency Visitor Center in Lone Pine; (760) 876-6222.
(PRESS RELEASE) Inyo National Forest and Bishop BLM Plan Fall Prescribed Burns
The Mammoth and Mono Lake Ranger Districts of the Inyo National Forest and the north zone for the Bishop Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management are planning to implement several prescribed fire projects for habitat improvement and hazardous fuels reduction in the upcoming fall and winter months.
Prescribed burn operations will be conducted when weather and fuel moisture conditions are within prescription to safely accomplish the project objectives.
Smoke may be visible at time from Highways 395, 158, 167, 120 and 203, as well as the communities of Bridgeport, Mono City, Lee Vining, June Lake, Mammoth Lakes and Crowley Lake. All prescribed burning activities will be coordinated with Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District in accordance with air resource objectives.
Understory burning in the Jeffrey pine forest is expected to begin mid-October in areas east of Highway 395 on National Forest lands near Bald Mountain.
Following the accumulation of snow from fall storms, slash pile burning will be conducted, and is expected to continue into early winter.
Pile burning is planned on National Forest lands in the Reds Meadow valley in cooperation with the National Park Service pile burning at Devils Postpile National Monument.
Pile burning is also planned on National Forest lands at Panorama Dome west of Mammoth Lakes, east of Highway 395 near Smokey Bear Flat, near the Crestview rest stop on Highway 395, west of Highway 395 along Deadman Creek Road, east of Highway 395 between the Owens River Road and Bald Mountain Road, and in the Down Canyon area of June Lake.
Pile burning is planned on BLM lands in Aurora Canyon east of Bridgeport.
For further information, please call Sue Farley, Vegetation Management Planner with Inyo National Forest and BLM Bishop Field Office, at (760) 924-5535.
