Fires hit some sites, others untouched TOM STIENSTRA
The Camp Fire “looked like a nuclear firebomb had gone off,” said field scout Ed Migale, who was evacuated last weekend from the fire zone in Butte County.
“At one point, it looked like the fire was breathing down our necks and yet we found out that we were 10 miles away, that’s how big it was,” Migale said.
Although the Camp Fire has devoured some recreation facilities, many sites have dodged the paths of the fire.
A review of the damage to recreation sites from major wildfires this year in the Sierra Nevada and Northern California show a crazy-quilt pattern of destruction. Some sites were incinerated, and yet others nearby escaped all harm, according to district rangers, fire specialists and field scouts on site.
As the week started, 7,579 fires this year had burned 1.67 million acres, the highest burned acreage recorded in California history, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Those numbers are the latest available and will go up with the next report. Of the big fires in Northern California, here is what burned, what did not and how recreation sites will be impacted over the winter and into 2019:
Camp Fire, Butte County
Paradise: The early stages of the 138,000-acre (and growing) Camp Fire roared through Pentz Road, a major country route that connects north Oroville to Magalia, and also the site of the Quail Trails Village RV Park. The owners made it out OK, but their RV park burned to the ground, said Beverly Simonson, who owns a sister RV park. To the north, the fire scorched the hills surrounding Magalia Reservoir, Concow Reservoir, and Paradise Lake as well, after first stalling for a day near the dam and boat ramp.
Lake Oroville: The West Branch Feather River Arm at northwest Lake Oroville, located from the Highway 70 Bridge on upstream, has been plundered. This week, the fire burned through Lime Saddle Campground. “It’s on fire right now,” said Supervising State Parks Ranger Aaron Wright when we spoke Monday and who provided updates through the week. Nearby Lake Oroville Marina is under threat, but “infrastructure was intact,” Wright said. Inspections had not occurred yet at boat-in camps in the Bloomer Camp Primitive Area, but all were jeopardized. South of Highway 70, two sites for hand-launching boats were burning Wednesday: Vinton, set in a deep cove, and across the lake, Dark Canyon, located just north of the North Fork Feather arm, said Adeline Yee at State Park headquarters.
To the south, about 90 percent of Lake Oroville and its recreation facilities remained untouched. At central Lake Oroville near the Visitor Center and up the major Middle Fork Feather Arm, each area has escaped the fire’s paths. The webcams near the dam, which post live shots at the State Parks website, have been operating intermittently because of ash and heavy smoke reducing the ability of small solar collectors to power the batteries for the cameras, Yee said.
Backcountry: The fire has extended east into Plumas National Forest, and though only 5 miles from Bucks Lake, several ridges and canyons likely would allow a fire line to be constructed and stall its approach. The fire has slowed when burning downslope, according to a fire-science specialist. Highway 70 is closed. The Oroville-Quincy Highway was under threat with remote and primitive Rogers Cow Camp at risk. The chance of damage is far less to the south at Milsap Bar Campground, adjacent to hidden Seven Falls, along the Middle Fork Feather River. The trail to Feather Falls, located in the wilderness on a tributary of the Middle Fork, appeared to be at no risk.
Info: Lake Oroville Rec Area, 530-538-2219, www.parks.ca.gov; Plumas National Forest, 530-283-0555, www.fs.usda.gov/plumas.
Delta Fire, Shasta-Trinity
Upper Sacramento River Canyon: This is the 63,000acre blaze that started right in front of me as I drove south on Interstate 5 between the exits for LaMoine and Delta/ Dog Creek. Several canyons along I-5 burned down to blackened ground, and if hydro-seeding doesn’t hold surface soils, they could face severe erosion from winter storms, with rain-washed silt poured into the river system. The silver lining: No campgrounds were damaged. Out of Sims Flat Campground, a put-in for rafting a popular spring float from Sims to Pollard Flat, for whitewater and fly-fishing, rafters will start surrounded by green forest and then encounter fire damage during the approach to the takeout at Pollard.
Info: Shasta-Trinity National Forest, 530-926-2511, www.fs.usda.gov/stnf.
Hirz Fire, Shasta-Trinity
At Shasta Lake, the Hirz Fire started just above the campgrounds on the upper McCloud River Arm, and then burned north and devoured 46,000 acres. In the interior, fire managers said selective-cut timber areas and plantations of young trees were 100 percent destroyed (so much for logging to reduce fire danger). In a miracle, none of the lakeside campgrounds at Shasta Lake was affected. This includes McCloud Bridge, Pine Point, Ellery Creek, Moore Creek and Dekkas Rock campgrounds; all open and clear.
Info: Shasta-Trinity National Forest, 530-275-1587, www.fs.usda.gov/stnf.
Carr Fire, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
It was an RV with a flat tire — where a metal rim hit the road, set off sparks and torched the RV — that ignited the Carr Fire along Highway 299. It then burned 229,651 acres, including much of the 40,000-acre Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. Oak Bottom and its campground and marina were destroyed, including docks and 40 boats. On the other side of the lake, Brandy Creek had minimal impact, and when water and restrooms can be restored, will be reopened. In more remote areas, the Carr Fire impacted Sheep Camp, Dry Creek and Horse Camp, and before being reopened in 2019, each site will be assessed for hazard trees and erosion issues. In the park’s interior, hazard trees would be inspected and removed, said Lisa Wilkolak at park headquarters, and only then would the trails to four waterfalls be considered for reopening. As at many fire areas, erosion this winter is another concern in the steep canyon watersheds.
Redding: On the Sacramento River Parkway, a 7mile (one-way) route is still available for cyclists, from Sundial Bridge to the Ribbon Stress Bridge. Elsewhere on the parkway, the fire burned four bridges.
Info: Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, 530-2423400, www.nps.gov/whis.
Donnell Fire, Upper Stanislaus
In the face of so many other major blazes, the 36,000-acre Donnell Fire in the High Sierra was off the radar for many. But for campers, it could have the biggest impact of all; 10 campgrounds along (and near) Highway 108 are at risk. The fire impacted both the Upper Stanislaus and Clark Fork watersheds. Pending clearing of hazard trees and erosion issues from storm runoff, each camp will be assessed in 2019 whether to open for next year’s summer season. The camps affected are: Sand Flat, Clark Fork and Horse Camp, Boulder Flat, Brightman Flat, Dardanelle, Pigeon Flat, Eureka Valley, Niagara Creek and Niagara Creek OHV. “Over winter, we’re worried about hazard trees and debris flows,” said Diana Fredlund, public affairs officer for Stanislaus National Forest.
Info: Stanislaus National Forest, 209-965-3434, www.fs.usda/stanislaus.
Ranch Fire, Mendocino
The scope of the Ranch Fire, at 459,123 acres, the largest wildfire in California history, is beyond the comprehension for many. It is also difficult to believe how the fire bypassed many recreation facilities. Along Highway 20, for instance, the fire burned right down to the road, but ended there, and at Blue Lakes, all four lakeside resorts on the other side of the road were untouched, reported Pablo Jimenez at The Lodge at Blue Lakes. “We all made it,” Jimenez said. At Clear Lake, the fire burned across wildlands for miles and approached within a mile of the lake, reported field scout Terry Knight at Lakeport, but lakeside infrastructure at Clear Lake emerged with no damage. The fire approached Lake Pillsbury in Mendocino National Forest, and the owner of Lake Pillsbury Resort said that everybody had feared the worst, but a fire line held and the resort was protected.