Pacific Southwest Region (Google map)
1323 Club Drive
Vallejo, CA 94592
Voice: 707.562.8737
TTY: 707.562.9240
Fax: 707.562.9130
Office hours: 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
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Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation's forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations.
The Women in Fire Camp is a 6-day, 5-night training and leadership camp hosted by the Los Padres National Forest. We are seeking highly motivated individuals to participate in the event. Learn more by viewing the Women in Wildfire Flyer.
Please remember ...
In California, 95 percent of all wildfires are human caused. To help ensure firefighters are available to safely respond and manage fires, the Forest Service has implemented statewide fire restrictions—campfires are not allowed outside of developed campgrounds. #FireRestrictions Follow the restrictions and do your part to prevent wildfires.
To reduce human caused wildfires, campfires are restricted outside of developed campgrounds. Persons with a valid CA Campfire Permit are still required to follow the statewide fire restrictions. The permit allows the use of portable stoves or lanterns using gas, jellied petroleum, or pressurized liquid fuel.
#FireRestrictions are in place on National Forests and Grasslands in CA. Campfires are only allowed in open developed campgrounds. Abandoned campfires are a leading cause of wildfires. Completely extinguish your campfire and never leave it unattended. Preventing fires is up to all of us. Find out how #OnlyYou help can at smokeybear.com.
Fire prevention is everyone’s responsibility. #FireRestrictions are in effect across all National Forests and Grasslands in CA. No campfires or charcoal BBQs are allowed outside of developed recreation areas. Know about restrictions in place before you go. For full restriction info visit the forest website.
Even with #FireRestrictions in place, the Forest Service has extinguished many abandoned campfires before they turned into destructive wildfires. Help protect the health and safety of communities and firefighters by completely extinguishing campfires.
Don't forget that #FireRestrictions are in place for all of National Forests in CA. If you are headed out to your National Forest for the weekend, please #RecreateResponsibly and be careful with any activity that could start a fire. Learn more at beoutdoorsafe.org.
Heading out to your National Forest? Make sure you follow the current #FireRestrictions! If you aren’t in a developed recreation area with a #USFS provided fire ring or charcoal grill, the only fires allowed are propane/gel fuel-type grills with on/off switches with a valid CA Campfire Permit.
If camping in a developed campground, be mindful of weather conditions and the dry vegetation around you. Embers from campfires can cause wildfires, so during this time of year please consider not having a campfire. Reducing or eliminating the risk of wildfire will preserve firefighting resources. Do your part, don’t let a wildfire start.
Our Response to the COVID-19 Coronavirus
National Forests to Increase Access to Recreation
National Forests in California are increasing access to the public by providing additional developed recreational opportunities. National Forest websites and social media pages will have the most up-to-date information on re-openings. Whenever possible, please recreate locally.
Outdoor recreation can be beneficial for your health but must be practiced safely. Please avoid visiting national forests if you are sick and/or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. Follow CDC guidance on personal hygiene and social distancing before and during your visit to the forest.
We recommend exercising close to your home and complying with local and state guidance for not traveling for your recreation needs. Stay safe. For more on avoiding COVID-19, visit www.coronavirus.gov.
A Notice to the Public About Prescribed Burning
The Pacific Southwest Region is moving forward with prescribed fire operations as conditions and resources permit.
National Forests in California are waiving the need for personal use firewood permits until September 30, 2020. If you were unable to purchase a permit prior to office closures, you may go and cut what you need for your family during this difficult time. All firewood cutting rules remain in place.
Woodcutting requirements may vary substantially so please check with your local ranger district office to see if there are any specific local restrictions or requirements at a forest or grassland office.
Notice to Range Permittees
Until further notice, range permittees should contact their local range permit administrator and/or local line officer to discuss this year's turnout. If you have any questions, please contact Leigh Sevy, Regional Range Program Leader, leigh.sevy@usda.gov, phone: 530-708-1462.
Virtual Services
This office has moved to virtual services. Please visit us at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r5 and access our forest maps at https://www.fs.fed.us/ivm/. If you need immediate assistance or have any questions, please call 707-562-8794.
Versión en Español
Esta oficina se ha cambiado a servicios virtuales. Por favor visítenos por el internet en https://www.fs.usda.gov/r5 y acceda los mapas de nuestros bosques en https://www.fs.fed.us/ivm. Si necesita atención inmediata o tiene alguna pregunta, por favor llame al 707-562-8794.
See More Information
Forest Service reminds visitors of State-wide campfire restrictions
In May, National Forests in California enacted state-wide campfire restrictions, until further notice, to protect the health and safety of communities and firefighters. Igniting, building, maintaining, or using a campfire on National Forests in California remain prohibited, except for developed campgrounds and certain permitted facilities.
Please visit the forest website for details on the exciting recreational opportunities that await you there.
Wildfire Information
The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), located in Boise, Idaho, is the nation's support center for wildland firefighting. Eight different agencies and organizations are part of NIFC. Decisions are made using the interagency cooperation concept because NIFC has no single director or manager.
High numbers of hazard trees in our forests and around communities, campgrounds, along roads, trails and utility corridors pose a significant threat to communities if a wildfire breaks out in the affected areas. Tree mortality in California crosses all land ownerships; government, citizens and private industry are working together to mitigate hazards and create more resilient forests.
This is a pass to use designated sites and areas of the Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres and San Bernardino National Forests. Visitors to these four forests will be required to display the Pass in their vehicles when using the Forest for recreation purposes. The Adventure Pass is a local regional pass, required only on the four forests listed above.
While pack stock use boasts a long history within the Forest Service, it is becoming a vanishing skill. While pack stock resources have declined, Region 5 established the Pack Stock Center of Excellence in 2013, recognizing that pack stock is a valuable traditional tool for wilderness management and that skills and resources in the Region were diminishing.
California's 18 National Forests provide Nature's Benefits (or Ecosystem Services) that positively impact people's lives. Ecosystems are human, plant, and animal life-support systems that provide a suite of benefits vital to human health and livelihood.
Ecological Restoration: Engaging Partners in an All Lands Approach
Our goal is to retain and restore ecological resilience of the National Forest lands to achieve sustainable ecosystems that provide a broad range of services to humans and other organisms. This goal is based on a commitment to land and resource management that is infused by the principles of Ecological Restoration and driven by policies and practices that are dedicated to make land and water ecosystems more sustainable, more resilient, and healthier.
Connecting people and partners to forest benefits they see, feel, hear, and rely on in their daily lives will increase our capability to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation's forests and grasslands. “Our goal for the Pacific Southwest Region is to retain and restore the provision of a broad range of Nature’s Benefits to people that come from National Forest Systems lands. To do this, we will build off the R5 Leadership Intent document on Ecological Restoration which states our commitment to restoration-based management and to a renewed focus in the sustainable delivery of ecosystem services, with a Nature’s Benefits Leadership Intent document.”
Piles of trash, overflowing pit toilets, and damage to trails and roads are just a few issues Forest Service staff are addressing on many of the 18 National Forest across California recently.
U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officers need to be ready at a moment’s notice for any incident. Earlier this month, Region 5 officers answered that call.
In June 2020, the Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region and the National Greening Fire Team won an Innovation Award from the Environmental Protection Agency.
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