Politics & Government

Elevated Fire Restrictions in Cleveland National Forest

Hikers and campers should check conditions and restrictions before they visit.

Dry fuels, higher temperatures and the likelihood of small fires growing rapidly into big ones has prompted the U.S. Forest Service to announce elevated restrictions in Cleveland National Forest.

Visitors to the forest can get updates before they go, by checking out the Cleveland National Forest website.

“The public needs to be extremely careful when recreating within the forest during periods of high, very high and extreme fire danger," said Carlton Joseph, forest fire chief in a news release on Thursday.

Find out what's happening in Ramonawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Hikers can find out the current conditions by contacting the ranger office that supervises the area they wish to visit:

  • District offices are open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • For the Cleveland National Forest Supervisor’s Office call (858) 673-6180.
  • For Alpine, Descanso, and Laguna Mountain areas contact the Descanso Ranger District at (619) 445-6235.
  • For Palomar Mountain, Henshaw, Ramona, Temecula Valley and Oak Grove areas contact the Palomar Ranger District at (760) 788-0250.

  Elevated Fire Restrictions:

Find out what's happening in Ramonawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

1.    Fireworks are never allowed on the Cleveland National Forest.

2.    Spark arrestors are required for all off-highway vehicles, chainsaws, and other internal combustion equipment.

3.    Welding, grinding, cutting, the use of explosives, and other activities requiring a special use authorization may be restricted.

4.    No wood or charcoal fires are allowed except in identified developed campgrounds and developed picnic areas with designated fire rings. Forest officials have the latitude to add or subtract to the allowable fire use areas as deemed necessary due to fire danger.

a.    Identified campground and picnic areas where wood or charcoal fires are allowed under Elevated Fire Restrictions:

                                          i.    Descanso Ranger District

1.    Burnt Rancheria Campground

2.    El Prado Group Site

3.    Horse Heaven Group Site

4.    Laguna Campground

5.    Wooded Hill Group Site

                                        ii.    Palomar Ranger District

1.    Crestline Group Site

2.    Fry Creek Campground

3.    Oak Grove Campground

4.    Observatory Campground

                                       iii.    Trabuco Ranger District

1.    All campground and picnic areas are open except for the Wildomar Campground, when the Wildomar Off-road Vehicle (OHV) area is closed.

5.    Gas, liquid, and jelly petroleum fueled stove are allowed in developed campgrounds, developed picnic areas, and other areas with a proper permit, except for remote camping areas on the Descanso and Palomar Ranger District, and the San Mateo Canyon Wilderness Area on the Trabuco Ranger District.

  1. Discharge of firearms is prohibited on the Forest except for the purpose of hunting during the designated hunting season as established by the California Department of Fish and Game.  Target shooting is only allowed within designated areas on the Forest.
  2. Discharging a firearm using the following ammunition is never allowed on the Cleveland National Forest to include hunting seasons:  Steel core ammunition; armor piercing ammunition; and, tracer ammunition.

8.    Smoking is allowed only in an enclosed vehicle that is located within developed recreation sites.


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