VALLEJO, Calif. — A study recently published in the Water Quality Research Journal by Forest Service Law Enforcement and Investigations ecologists and partners discovered surface water contamination below illegal cannabis grow sites. Previously, Forest Service ecologists documented the environmental threat illegal grow sites posed to terrestrial wildlife, including the federally protected northern spotted owl and […]
U.S. Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region
Posted inRegional
Practice Water Safety at National Forests This Memorial Day Weekend
VALLEJO, Calif. — May 23, 2022. As we prepare to honor the heroes who gave their lives in military service to this nation this Memorial Day weekend, the USDA Forest Service is also preparing for an influx of visitors to national forests. This traditional kickoff of the summer season is a chance to highlight the […]
Posted inRegional
Forest Services Reminds Visitors – Use Good Judgment Ahead of Fire Season
VALLEJO, Calif. — April 20, 2022. With much of California in drought conditions, please remember that any accidental spark while visiting California’s national forests could escalate into a wildfire. Unsafe recreational shooting practices, unattended campfires, and sparks from a loose chain on a vehicle are just a few of the causes for hundreds of wildfires […]
Posted inRegional
Reminder to Practice Winter Recreation Safety Ahead of MLK Weekend
January 13, 2022. With record-breaking snow accumulation throughout the state, all visitors to California’s National Forests should plan ahead and ensure your vehicles are snow ready as road conditions may impact access heading into Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. Visitors are encouraged to follow the Recreate Responsibility mantra which encourages people to Plan Before You […]
Posted inRegional
Eldorado NF Emergency Closure continues through Sept. 30th as Forest Service reopens other Forests in CA
The USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region will end the regional closure order affecting most National Forests in California at 11:59 pm today — Wednesday, Sept. 15 — two days prior to the original end date of Sept. 17. This change does not apply to the emergency closure order for the Eldorado National Forest which […]
Posted inCalifornia
Forest Service Ending Regional Closure Order Two Days Early; Five Forests to Remain Closed Under Local Orders
The USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region will end the regional closure order affecting National Forests in California at 11:59 pm on Wednesday, Sept. 15, two days prior to the original end date of Sept. 17. However, forest-wide closures will remain in place and be extended until midnight on September 22nd on the Los Padres, […]
Posted inCalifornia
USDA Forest Service Mourns the Passing of Two Employees, Firefighting Heroes
USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region (Region 5) mourns the passing of two of our agency’s “family members” and heroes in the firefighting community – Allen Johnson and Marcus Pacheco. Losing any member of our Forest Service family is a heartbreak for each one of us – let alone two in a week. Words cannot […]
Posted inCalifornia
US Forest Service Temporarily Closing All California National Forests for Public Safety
To better provide public and firefighter safety due to the ongoing California wildfire crisis, USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region is announcing a temporary closure of all National Forests in California. This closure will be in effect from Aug. 31, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. through September 17, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. This order does not […]
Posted inRegional
USDA Forest Service Temporarily Closes Nine Northern California National Forests for Public Safety, Joining Eldorado NF
VALLEJO, Calif. — To better provide public and firefighter safety due to extreme fire conditions throughout northern California, and strained firefighting resources throughout the country, the USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region is announcing a temporary closure of nine National Forests. This closure will be effective at August 22, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. through September […]
Posted inCalifornia
USDA Forest Service Reminds Californians that Fireworks are Prohibited on National Forests Ahead of July 4 Weekend
ALLEJO, Calif. — June 30, 2021. From the recent enactment of Juneteenth as a federal holiday to the upcoming Fourth of July weekend, Americans have long visited their local national forest to celebrate significant U.S. milestones. Holiday weekends can be an active time for fire starts, and it goes without saying that fireworks are prohibited […]
Posted inRegional
USFS Cancels Campground Closures on Remaining National Forests in California
VALLEJO, Calif. January 28, 2021 – The USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region canceled the remaining developed campground closures on National Forests. Regional Orders 21-1 and 21-3 are linked within. The Pacific Southwest Region’s eighteen National Forests align with the state of California’s zones as follows: Southern – San Bernardino, Los Padres, Cleveland, Angeles, Inyo […]
Posted inRegional
A Reminder to Recreate Responsibly During MLK Weekend and Amidst the Ongoing Pandemic
VALLEJO, Calif. January 14, 2021 – The USDA Forest Service and California State Parks invite Californians to do their part to ensure safe and healthy outdoor experiences during the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend and amidst the ongoing pandemic. Simple actions such as staying local, planning ahead, and following social distancing guidelines, can increase […]
Posted inRegional
USFS Closes Developed Campgrounds on Eldorado, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, Plumas, and Tahoe National Forests
VALLEJO, Calif. December 11, 2020 – USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region has decided to close developed campgrounds on four additional National Forests in California to provide consistent COVID-19 mitigation response in accordance with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Stay-at-Home Orders. The Sacramento Region is being added to the Stay-at-Home Order and, in turn, developed campgrounds will […]
Posted inRegional
Winter is Approaching: A Reminder to Recreate Responsibly on National Forests
With winter just around the corner, all visitors to California’s National Forests should continue to plan ahead before visiting and recreate responsibly once there. Early snowfall has already begun on some forests and road conditions will begin to impact access so please ensure that your vehicle is snow ready before you go. Visitors are […]
Posted inRegional
Forest Service Temporarily Closes All National Forests in California
VALLEJO, Calif., September 9, 2020 – Due to unprecedented and historic fire conditions throughout the state, the USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region is announcing a temporary closure of an additional ten National Forests, meaning all eighteen National Forests in California are now closed. The closure of the additional ten forests will be effective at […]
Posted inCalifornia
U.S. Army joining USDA Forest Service Wildland Fire Operations in California
August 31, 2020 – The USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region, and the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) have coordinated with the Department of Defense for the deployment of approximately 200 active-duty soldiers, to include command staff, to help with wildfire suppression efforts in Northern California. The soldiers are due to arrive early this week […]
Posted inCalifornia
Prescribed fire operations resume on National Forests
VALLEJO, Calif. May 1, 2020 – The Pacific Southwest Region is moving forward with prescribed fire operations as conditions and resources permit. Previously, the region had postponed prescribed fires to reduce potential smoke impacts to communities while public health officials considered the interactions of smoke with COVID-19 effects; and to ensure our emergency response resources were […]
Posted inCalifornia
Forest Service closes developed recreation sites in California until April 30
VALLEJO, Calif. March 26, 2020 – USDA Forest Service appreciates the public’s interest in outdoor recreation, particularly in light of current events. The Pacific Southwest Region of the Forest Service, in response to the recent statewide shelter-in-place order issued by the Governor of California, is joining the cause to aggressively mitigate the spread of COVID-19 […]
Posted inCalifornia
Survey Finds 18 Million Trees Died in California in 2018
2018 only Vallejo, Calif. February 11, 2019 – The USDA Forest Service announced today that an additional 18 million trees, mostly conifers, died in California since fall 2017. Over 147 million trees have died across 9.7 million acres of federal, state, local and private lands in California since the drought began in 2010. Since 2016, […]
Posted inRegional
Remembering Geraldine “Geri” Bergen
November 2, 2018 – It is with great sadness that the Forest Service acknowledges the passing of Geraldine “Geri” Bergen, a trailblazing former forest supervisor in Region 5 and lifelong advocate for forest and public lands. Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1930, Bergen married in 1949 and moved with her husband to Seattle, Washington, […]