SoCal Forest UPDATE... Portions to be OPEN

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NEWS RELEASE
USDA Forest Service
Cleveland National Forest

Home Page: www.fs.fed.us/r5/cleveland


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Anabele Cornejo, Acting Public Affairs Officer, 858-674-2985


PORTIONS OF CLEVELAND NATIONAL FOREST RE-OPEN NOV. 10
Forest Use Restriction Level Returns to EXTREME

San Diego, CA –November 8, 2007…The Cleveland National Forest (Forest) will
re-open portions of the Forest, on Saturday, November 10, 2007, after an
emergency closure October 21, 2007, due to the recent and ongoing fires.
The Forest Use Restriction Level will return to EXTREME. Those
restrictions that were in effect prior to the fires will be continued.
Under this level, the closure of all national forest lands south of
Interstate 8 and a general prohibition on campfires, except for Laguna
Campground, will also be in affect.

Forest Service officials reevaluated current conditions for the four
southern California Forests, and based on a variety of criteria including
the moisture level in vegetation, weather conditions and firefighter
staffing/equipment needs, they concluded that portions of the four southern
California Forests, the Angeles, Los Padres, San Bernardino, and the
Cleveland National Forests could re-open to visitors.

The recently burned areas of the Forest will be closed with regard to the
Santiago Fire area in the Santa Ana Mountains; the Poomacha Fire in the
Palomar Mountains; and the Witch Fire, that burned all the national forest
lands south of State Highway 76 and north of Ramona, and portions of the
San Diego River watershed east of Ramona.

”We are going to try and keep as much of the forest land open to visitors.
Forest visitors should keep an eye on Forest Use Restriction Levels, as
they can change at any time,” said Will Metz, Forest Supervisor for the
Cleveland National Forest.

Closures of recently burned areas and adjoining lands are routinely
implemented to protect the public from a variety of hazard such as rolling
rocks, flash floods, and falling trees. There are also firefighters
continuing their work in extinguishing fires in these areas and the
discharge of firearms related to hunting poses a threat to their welfare.

The public can call (619) 593-2183, the Forest Use Restriction Level
hotline for a recorded message, or check the website at
www.fs.fed.us/r5/cleveland on November 9, for maps and current conditions.

Forest offices are open Monday - Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Cleveland National Forest Supervisor’s Office, contact (858) 673-6180.
Alpine, Descanso, and Laguna Mountain Areas contact the Descanso Ranger
District at (619) 445-6235. Palomar Mountain, Henshaw, Ramona and Oak
Grove areas contact the Palomar Ranger District at (760) 788-0250. Ortega
Hwy area, San Mateo and Corona area contact the Trabuco Ranger District at
(951) 736-1811.

-CNF-

Anabele Cornejo
Assistant Public Affairs Officer
United States Department of Agriculture
Forest Service- Cleveland National Forest

p.858-674-2985
f. 858-674-2967