U.S. Forest Service-Stanislaus National Forest

We are preparing to conduct prescribed burns on all of our ranger districts on the forest in the coming weeks. Our firefighters take weather, forest conditions and other factors into account to make sure we conduct safe operations, so you may see signs notifying you of prescribed burns on the road as you travel. We will share notes letting you know where an when and where we expect to be conducting these operations. We have prescribed burn plans that help us ensure we can reduce fuels on the forest and help keep the U.S. Forest Service-Stanislaus National Forest and our communities safe. #prescribedfire #usfs #ForestHealth

Do you know someone who's really interested in watching as Santa makes his epic journey tomorrow night? Dr. Fauci gave him the vaccine (he said so!) and he's ready to roll! Rudolph and all Santa's reindeer are ready to harness up and get on the job! Merry Christmas to everyone!

Here's a great story about how the Forest Service uses mules to transport goods to fires, scientists and other employees in the backcountry. Because of restrictions against mechanical devices in areas designated under the Wilderness Act, often the best way to get supplies to folks working in the wilderness is packing in with a mule train. These four-legged friends are a huge assist in so many ways - and we on the Stanislaus NF are proud to have our own set of friends supporting our wilderness operations. The video is about 12 minutes, but really helps the public understand how important these mules are to so many of our operations! #mulepacktrain #usfs

Snow has started! Caltrans, District 10 has closed all three mountain passes, on Highway 4, 108 and 120! See you on the flip side next spring!

Forest Supervisor Jason Kuiken signed fire restriction orders for moderate and high fire hazard zones to replace the regional fire restriction that expires at midnight Nov. 6. Both forest orders are in effect from Nov. 7, 2020 through Dec. 31, 2020. Visitors are encouraged to check the forest web page at https://www.fs.usda.gov/stanislaus for information about fire restrictions and recreation activities that are allowed under the forest order. Under Forest Order STF-16-2020...-23, Temporary High Fire Restrictions, and Forest Order STF-16-2020-24, Temporary Moderate Fire Restrictions, visitors are not allowed to build, maintain or use a campfire, except in open developed recreation sites; smoking is not allowed, except within an enclosed vehicle or building or within open developed recreation sites; no welding or acetylene or other torches with an open flame are allowed. Persons with a valid California campfire permit may use a portable stove or lantern using gas, jellied petroleum, or pressurized liquid fuel on National Forest System lands within the moderate and high hazard zones. Visitors to the low hazard zones are allowed to have campfires and use propane or gel-fuel stoves, as long as they have a valid California campfire permit. Campfire permits may be requested at www.preventwildfiresca.org. Even with this first winter storm of the season, it's still a dry landscape, although the precipitation will help. Please use caution and use all safety protocols if you use your stove or, if you're in the low hazard zone (high elevation areas and backcountry), have a campfire. Each order has a fire hazard zone map included for reference. Help keep the forest safe from wildfires! #OneLessSpark #OnlyYou

Regional Forester Randy Moore signed Regional Order 20-24, Emergency Fire Restrictions, extending fire restrictions for all California national forests due to the extreme fire danger through Nov. 6. View the regional order on our web page, https://www.fs.usda.gov/stanislaus. There are no changes to the previous order, and fire risk conditions will determine if the order will be extended. Cookstoves are still allowed in developed rec sites like campgrounds and day use sites. As before, if conditions improve the orders can be lifted early.

My apologies for the delay in posting this. Regional Forester Randy Moore signed Regional Order 20-23, Emergency Fire Restrictions, extending fire restrictions for all California national forests due to the extreme fire danger through Oct.30. View the regional order on our web page, https://www.fs.usda.gov/stanislaus. There are no changes to the previous order, and fire risk conditions will determine if the order will be extended. Cookstoves are still allowed in developed rec sites like campgrounds and day use sites. As before, if conditions improve the orders can be lifted early.

Regional Forester Randy Moore signed Regional Order 20-22, Emergency Fire Restrictions, extending fire restrictions for all California national forests due to the extreme fire danger through Oct. 22. In addition, Forest Supervisor Jason Kuiken signed Forest Order STF-16-2020-22, Temporary Camping, Occupancy and Use Restrictions, which prohibits recreational target shooting and dispersed camping in the moderate and high fire hazard areas on the forest, but opens the forest for day use between sunrise and sunset, and allows camping in open developed campgrounds. You can read the regional fire restrictions and forest order on our website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/stanislaus.

Applications are being accepted starting today! Be sure to get your application into USAJobs between now and Nov. 9! Are you interested in working for the Forest Service next recreation season? We're starting our fire and non-fire temporary hiring event! Get your resumes and references ready and apply beginning Oct. 30. The Stanislaus National Forest is seeking qualified applicants to fill temporary, full-time positions for the 2021 field season. Vacancy announcements will b...e posted to the USAJobs website (www.usajobs.gov) on October 30, 2020 and will close on November 9, 2020. Positions we will be hiring include fire suppression forestry technician (engine, handcrew, helitack) (GS 3, 4 and 5 fire suppression positions); general recreation forestry technician; OHV recreation technician; archaeological technician; and general laborer road crew. View the Fire Temporary Hire outreach form at https://www.fs.usda.gov/Inte/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd817016.pdf View the Non-Fire Temporary Hire outreach form at https://www.fs.usda.gov/Inte/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd817015.pdf.

Regional Forester Randy Moore extended Regional Order 20-18, Emergency Fire Restrictions, extending fire restrictions for all California national forests due to the extreme fire danger through Oct. 15. A copy of the updated Regional Order 20-21 will be posted on the Stanislaus National Forest web page as soon as we receive it from the regional office. Fire restrictions remain in effect at all elevations on the Stanislaus National Forest. There were no additional revisions to ...the new regional fire restrictions; visitors are authorized to use propane and gas stoves in developed recreation sites only. Developed recreation sites are defined as areas which have been improved or developed for recreation, such as campgrounds and day use sites. Stoves remain prohibited in all dispersed camping and wilderness areas on the Stanislaus National Forest. See more

After a fire goes through, someone needs to do a walk through and give a preliminary assessment. Public Information Officer Kale Casey from the Alaska Incident Management Team is on-site at Shasta-Trinity and shares what he saw after the fire. #AugustComplexFire #FireYear2020 #IfYouFlyWeCant

A wildland firefighter crew hikes the U.S. Forest Service-Plumas National Forest to combat the North Complex Fire, one mile southwest of Crescent Mills, California. Fifty crews working together have this fire at 79% containment. https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6997/

Stay safe, everyone!

In the midst of so many fires, I thought you might like a moment to look at, and maybe vote on, some lovely photos. We love all our firefighters!

Many firefighters, like the El Dorado Hotshots pictured here, have been working in Division QQ over the past days to reduce standing dead or fire-weakened trees... and islands of unburned fuel that may threaten constructed fire lines. Snags, or standing dead or fire-weakened trees, pose a hazard to firefighters on the ground and on nearby roads. Snags can also fall across constructed lines, carrying fire outside of the current perimeter. Islands of partially or unburned fuels can ignite, throwing embers across the fire lines and creating spot fires outside of the current fire footprint. Although this high-risk work is occurring inside of fire lines and along the fires edge, it is work that is essential to keep the fire within the constructed fire lines and strengthen the lines, which will help with increasing containment. Photos by USFS/Kaleena Lynde

That’s some amazing flying skills. Stay safe everyone!