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Firestorm 2007
Many areas of the Cleveland National Forest have re-opened following the October 2007 wildfires. Currently, the Harris, Poomacha and Witch Fire areas on the Palomar and Descanso Ranger Districts are open for public use. However, within the Witch Fire area, some roads and the Wild Horse Trail through the Agua Tibia Wilderness on the Palomar Ranger District remains closed. Please see the maps below for a graphic representation of the roads and trails that are still closed.
For information on the Poomacha and Witch Fire areas on the Palomar Ranger District, please call the District office in Ramona at 760-788-0250.
For further information concerning the Harris fire area, please contact the Descanso Ranger District in Alpine at 619-445-6235.
Unfortunately, due to the steep terrain and the intensity of the fire, the entire Santiago Fire area on the Trabuco Ranger District remains closed to allow for continued restoration efforts to be conducted. Please see the map below (use existing map) for the closed area on the Santiago Fire on the Trabuco Ranger district. For more information on the Santiago Fire area closure or the Trabuco Ranger District, please contact the District in Corona at 951-736-1811.
Maps of Closure Areas:
PDF of Santiago Fire Closures (3.04MB)
BAER Reports:
Hydromulching:
Fire Information:
Santiago Fire - The fire started on October 21, 2007. Total acres burned were 28,476. The Santiago Fire burned a total of 28,476 acres, 6,701 acres of which burned on the Cleveland NF and 21,775 acres of which burned on private land. The Forest Service has conducted post fire assessments in a process called the Burned Area Emergency Response or BAER. The Santiago Fire, which burned in eastern Orange County, has been allocated $4,976,500 to implement treatments on national forest system lands, such as aerial hydro-mulching of 1,241 acres to reduce potential flood and sediment damage to downstream communities; stabilization of 14 miles of road; installation of warning and information signs; and construction of OHV barriers.
Single engine airplanes and a large helicopter working over the Santiago Fire area began on December 17th signaling the start of the US Forest Service’s aerial hydromulch operations, designed to minimize soil erosion and reduce run-off in the canyon areas of Silverado and Modjeska Canyons.
The Forest Service has conducted post fire assessments in a process called the Burned Area Emergency Response or BAER. From that report, a team of resource specialists have recommended and funding has been obtained to treat 1,241 acres of Forest Service lands with aerially-applied hydromulch. These lands are where the fire intensity was rated as high and the slopes are less than 50%. The Santiago Fire burned a total of 28,476 acres, but most of the high-intensity burned acres were on the 6,701 acres of Forest Service lands located at the east end of the fire in the higher elevations.
Witch and Poomacha Fires - The Cleveland National Forest (Cleveland NF) has released the approved Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Assessment Report for the Witch and Poomacha Fires, which burned during the last week in October and the first week in November. The Cleveland NF will receive $742,770 to implement the recommended treatment methods that include; 1 mile of range fencing; road stabilization; culvert and side drain repair and maintenance; stabilization of the San Diego River, Thornbrush and Cedar Creek Falls trails; pipe rail barriers, gates and informational signing.
The Witch Fire started on October 21, 2007 and burned 163,240 acres total, with 44,144 acres burning on the Cleveland National Forest, 12,141 burning on other federal lands, 124 acres of state lands and 106,831 acres of private land.
The Poomacha Fire started on October 23 on a structure fire on the La Jolla Indian Reservation and burned 49,410 acres total, with 5,180 acres burning on the Cleveland National Forest, 22,529 acres burning on other federal lands, 1,097 acres burning on state lands and 20,604 acres burning on private lands.
Harris Fire -The Harris Fire started on October 21, 2007, burned a total of 90,416 acres, 4,481 acres of which burned on the Cleveland NF and 85,935 acres of which burned on private land. The Harris Fire, which burned in the southeastern portion of San Diego County, has been allocated $270,134 to implement treatments on national forest system lands, such as installation of gates and information signs; road stabilization projects; culvert and side drain maintenance; and a noxious weeds survey.
Please check the Incident Information System (InciWeb) site for the most up-to-date information about these and other wildfires burning across the region and nation.