With California’s national forests closed, some Fresno-area mountains and events remain open

The U.S. Forest Service on Tuesday closed 20 million acres of California’s national forests to public access for at least the next two weeks.

The order was called to mitigate the extreme fire conditions seen throughout the state at a time when national firefighting resources are strained. While it applies only to U.S. Forest Service land, road and trails, news of the order has left many in the Fresno area wondering about weekend recreation plans in the Sierra National Forest in advance of the Labor Day holiday weekend.

State and national park land and private property in the area will be able to set their own rules during the closure and there are several exemptions within the order, but the U.S. Forest Service’s goal is to have fewer people in the area.

So, while some area lakes are still operating normally, “we are not encouraging people to bring boats up or be recreating out in the forest,” Sierra National Forest Supervisor Dean Gould said during a news conference Tuesday.

Shaver Lake and Creek Fire events

Shaver Lake will remain open during the closure, though Southern California Edison continues to monitor the safety of the lake area, according to Gabriela Ornelas, a media relations advisor with SCE, which owns the lake.

The lake is open for day use during its normal business hours, Ornelas said.

In a post on its Facebook page, the Shaver Lake Visitors Bureau confirmed the lake will be open to visitors, including Airbnb rentals, businesses and marinas.

Included are two events Saturday to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the devastating Creek Fire igniting Sept. 4, 2020.

The Creek Fire Recovery Collaborative is hosting its One Year Stronger event beginning at 11 a.m. at the Shaver Lake Community Center Baseball Field. There will be opening comments from Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig, Sheriff Margaret Mims and state assemblyman Jim Patterson, plus live music and food and vendors.

The celebration continues at the community center ball field with the Rock to Rebuild concert with performances from Law, the Play List, Dying Suns, MKC and Sun Umbra.

Proceeds from both events go to support Creek Fire survivors.

Hume and Bass lakes, China Peak

Bass Lake south of Yosemite and Hume Lake inside Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park will also remain open during the closure.

The Pines Resort at Bass Lake is open and not impacted by the order, as there are no road closures that would prevent access.

Bass Lake is owned by PG&E and will also remain open for recreation, though day-use areas around the lake (parking areas, bathrooms, public boat ramp) will be affected, as will campsites, hiking, biking and any other recreational activities within the forest.

The order will affect some aspect of Hume Lake, the a year-round youth camp and adult retreat center. The campground by the lake, the Hume Lake trail and Hume Lake aquatics are closed.

But the center’s 75th anniversary and Country Fair weekend is still happening. The two-day family event runs Sept. 4-5 and features a movie night, Sunday service on the lawn and live music from Matt Redman.

Sunday was supposed to be the last day of summer operations at China Peak Mountain Resort. Those plans changed on Thursday, when the resort announced it will not be open for mountain biking this weekend because of the forest closures.

“We appreciate your patience as we fought hard to stay open, and are thankful for your understanding as this is not the closing day we anticipated.”

Yosemite National Park remains open

On Tuesday, the Yosemite Mariposa County Tourism Bureau sent out a reminder that Yosemite National Park will not be impacted by the closure and that the park is still operating under its temporary day-use reservation system. Guests without a pass will be turned away at the gate.

“The Yosemite Mariposa County Tourism Bureau urges all visitors to public lands throughout California to recreate responsibly, be aware of posted closures before setting out to recreate and keep fire safety in mind when out this Labor Day weekend and at all other times that they may be in areas with high fire risk.”

There are currently no plans to have gate or road closures, the U.S. Forest Service said. It will have staff patrolling the area, but the agency is looking for enforce the order mostly through education, Gould said.

Those caught entering closed Forest Service lands — including developed campgrounds, hiking trails and recreation sites — could face fines of up to $5,000. But fines are potential and not likely, he said.

“We really want people to be aware.”

The closures will run two weeks at which time they will be reassessed.

This story was originally published August 31, 2021 at 2:55 PM.