COBB >> Boggs Mountain Demonstration State Forest remains closed to all public use due to hazardous conditions as a result of the Valley Fire. As a result of the fire and drought-induced bark beetle mortality, 99 percent of the trees in the forest were destroyed in 2015.
Cal Fire will be conducting a large amount of pile burning on the property throughout the winter. Over the past year the Department and Forest management staff have aggressively been salvage logging to remove standing dead trees in preparation for replanting. As a result of this logging there are hundreds of residual slash piles that must be disposed of.
Disposal of this material is not feasible by other means due to the volume of the material, number of piles, and time frame.
According to Cal Fire Sonoma Lake Napa Unit Chief Shana Jones, “It is the goal of the Department to restore the Forest to a condition that is safe for public access. Allowing wood cutting, trail access, and camping is an important part of having this public land in Lake County”.
A crew of firefighters will be assigned to conduct these pile burns throughout the winter beginning immediately on permissive burn days. A large scale smoke management plan has been completed in coordination with the Sacramento Air Resources Board and the Lake County Air Quality Management District. Department staff will follow the same rules and regulations that apply to the public.
Cal Fire thanks the public in advance for respecting and honoring the State’s decision to close the Forest to public use; this allows the team to stay focused on the Forest’s work plan in order to allow access as soon as is safe to do so.
