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Los Padres National Forest
Explore Los Padres National Forest
Encompassing almost two million acres, Los Padres National Forest spans some of the most ruggedly beautiful landscapes to be found anywhere in California
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Los Padres National Forest Fire Restrictions
Los Padres National Forest fire restrictions are in place through January 31, 2025. Learn more about fire restrictions.
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Coastal Zone Visitor Use Management Plan
The Coastal Zone Visitor Use Management strategy for the Big Sur coast has been completed following extensive collaboration with partners, user groups, residents, and local agencies over the past three years. This comprehensive strategy sets forth the guiding principles for developing a sustainable implementation plan to address the growing number of visitors to the Big Sur coast.
Features
Quick Actions Saved Lives on Los Padres’ Lake Fire
The Lake Fire broke out the afternoon of July 5 near Zaca Lake on the Santa Lucia Ranger District of Los Padres National Forest. A giant plume of smoke dominated the horizon and was visible from Santa Maria to Santa Barbara. Air tankers were soon on scene, criss-crossing the smoke-filled skies over the fast-moving blaze.
Forest Patrol 38 Cassy Buckley had just finished cabin inspections when she saw the smoke and reported the new fire start. Based on her location and after speaking with the IC, she decided it was best to canvass Zaca Ridge Road and flush out any visitors who were recreating in the area. “I notified the local campgrounds that we had a fire and that there was a pre-evacuation order for the area,” Buckley said.
Confident that all members of the public had left the area, she tied in with the Incident Command Post and was told to return to Figueroa Mountain and clear any campers from the Nira, Davy Brown and Figueroa campgrounds.
Fire Access Road Proves Pivotal in Suppressing Lake Fire on Los Padres NF
When a wildfire erupted the afternoon of July 5 near Zaca Lake on Los Padres National Forest’s Santa Lucia Ranger District in Santa Barbara County, one of the best vantage points for the initial attack was atop the Zaca Ridge Road. Access to this forest road allowed first responders to direct retardant drops and to get “eyes on the fire.”
“This road provided the best look at what the fire was doing early on,” according to Los Padres Assistant Fire Management Officer Robert Chavez. “This enabled us to direct resources and initiate our response with a clear view of what the fire was doing.”
Had a wildfire broke out in this area last year, this road would not have been accessible to first responders due to storm damage in 2023-2024. The job of repairing much of the road damage fell to the Santa Lucia District’s Dozer 3 crew who spent the better part of 16 months reopening hundreds of miles of roads.
