FOREST ORDER NUMBER 05-07-51-21-08
LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST
MONTEREY RANGER DISTRICT
WILLOW FIRE AREA, ROAD, AND TRAIL CLOSURE 
Pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 551 and 36 C.F.R. § 261.50(a) and (b), and to provide for public safety and protect    natural resources, the following acts are prohibited within the Monterey Ranger District of the Los Padres National Forest.  This Order is effective from June 24, 2021, and until July 23, 2021. 

1. Going into or being upon National Forest System lands within the Willow Fire Closure Area, as described in Exhibit A and shown on Exhibit B. 36 C.F.R. § 261.52(e).
2. Being on any National Forest System road within the Willow Fire Closure Area, as described in Exhibit A and shown on Exhibit B.  36 C.F.R. § 261.54(e).
3. Being on any National Forest System trail within the Willow Fire Closure Area, as described in Exhibit A and shown on Exhibit B.  36 C.F.R. § 261.55(a).
4. Entering or using any National Forest Campground within the Willow Fire Closure Area, as described in Exhibit A and shown on Exhibit B.  36 C.F.R. § 261.58(b).

Pursuant to 36 C.F.R. § 261.50(e), the following persons are exempt from this Order:

1. Any Federal, State or Local Officer or member of an organized rescue or fire fighting force in the performance of an official duty.
2. Owners or lessees of private land within the Emergency Closure Area, to the extent necessary to gain access to their land.
3. Persons with Forest Service Permit No. FS-7700-48 (Permit for Use of Roads, Trails, or Areas Restricted by Regulation or Order), specifically exempting them from this Order.

These prohibitions are in addition to the general prohibitions in 36 C.F.R. Part 261, Subpart A.

A violation of these prohibitions is punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization or imprisonment for not more than six months or both. 16 U.S.C. § 551 and 18 U.S.C. §§ 3559, 3571 and 3581.

Executed at Solvang, California this 23rd day of June 2021.

KEVIN B. ELLIOTT
Forest Supervisor
Los Padres National Forest

FOREST ORDER NUMBER 05-07-51-21-08

LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST

MONTEREY RANGER DISTRICT

WILLOW FIRE AREA, ROAD, AND TRAIL CLOSURE

EXHIBIT A

The Willow Fire Area, Road, Trail, and Campground Closure begins at the intersection of the Los Padres National Forest boundary with Tassajara Road (Forest Road 18S02) in the SE ¼ of T18S R4E S19,  then continues generally south along and including Tassajara Road to its intersection with the Pine Ridge Trail (Forest Trail 3E06) in the NE ¼ of T19S R4E S7,   then continues generally west-southwest along and including the Pine Ridge Trail to its intersection with the Big Sur Trail in the NW ¼ of T19S R3E S29,  then continues generally south along and including the Big Sur Trail to its intersection with the South Fork Trail (Forest Trail 3E09) in the NE ¼ of T20S R3E S5,   then continues generally southeast along and including the South Fork Trail to its intersection with the Marble Peak Trail (Forest Trail 4E07) in the SE ¼ T20S R3E of S11, then continues generally southwest along and including the Marble Peak Trail to its intersection with the Lost Valley Trail (Forest Trail 4E08) in the NE ¼ of T20S R3E S22,  then continues generally southeast along and including the Lost Valley Trail to its intersection with Escondido Campground Road (Forest Road 19S09D) in the NE ¼ of T21S R4E S2, then continues generally west along and including Escondido Campground Road to its intersection with Arroyo Seco – Indians Road (Forest Road 19S09.3) in the NW ¼ of T21S R4E S1,  then continues generally southeast along and including Arroyo Seco – Indians Road to its intersection with Milpitas Road (Forest Road 19S09.4) in the SE ¼ of T21S R5E S7,  and then continues along, but does not include, Milpitas Road to its intersection with the Los Padres National Forest Boundary in T21S R5E,  then continues generally east along the Los Padres National Forestboundary the SE corner of T21S R6E S17,  then continues generally east, north, and west along the Ventana Wilderness boundary to the eastern boundary of T20S R5E S6,  and then continues generally northwest along the Los Padres National Forest boundary back to the starting point at its intersection with Tassajara Road (Forest Road 18S02) in the SE ¼ of T18S R4E S19.

Willow Fire:  June 23, 2021 Update

Email: willowfirepio@gmail.com

Incident Information: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7549/ 

Social Media: Twitter: @LosPadresNF   Facebook: @Los Padres National Forest 

Los Padres National Forest: www.fs.usda.gov/pnf

Fire Information Phone: (831) 244-3205 Hours: 8am-9pm

INCIDENT INFORMATION

Command: Los Padres National Forest, Monterey County Sheriff’s Office and CIIMT 11

Additional Cooperating and Assisting Organizations: CAL Fire, California Highway Patrol, Big Sur Fire Department Cachagua Fire Protection District, Bureau of Land Management, CalTrans, Monterey Office of Emergency Services (OES)

Start Date: 06/17/2021Location: Los Padres National Forest,Monterey County, CAResidences Threatened: 100         Residences Damaged: 0Mixed Commercial/Residential threatened: 25

Size: 2,877 acresPercent containment: 13%Cause: Under InvestigationResidences Destroyed: 0Personnel on the Incident: 526

CURRENT CONDITIONS:

Yesterday, firefighters took advantage of the continued favorable weather conditions and moderate fire behavior to prepare contingency lines along old fire control lines and adjacent roads east of the fire area. Crews also completed most of the community, residential and recreation infrastructure protection in the Tassajara and Arroyo Seco areas to the north and east of the fire area.

Forecasted weather and predicted fire behavior allowed firefighters to begin constructing direct control lines where it is safe to do so. Direct control lines are constructed along the fires edge leaving no unburned fuel between the fire and the control line. This is sometimes referred to as “one foot in the black.”

Today, crews are tasked with extending direct control lines along the fire’s edge and increasing offensive actions consistent with the moderating weather and minimal fire activity utilizing Minimum Impact Suppression Tactics (MIST). MIST employs the minimum amount of forces necessary to achieve the protection objectives consistent with the land and resource management objectives and resources at risk.

WEATHER

A low-pressure system off the coast will continue to provide favorable weather conditions over the fire area for another day or so, shifting winds to the northwest as the system moves onshore. Resulting cooler temperatures and an increase in relative humidity has significantly reduced the detectable heat within the fire area. The fire is not expected to significantly increase in size during this time. A developing high-pressure system off the Pacific Northwest coast will bring warmer and dryer conditions at the end of the week and into the weekend.

EVACUATIONS AND CLOSURES:

The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office remains in Unified Command with Los Padres National Forest and California Interagency Incident Management Team 11. There are no changes to the Evacuation Warning and Order areas.

The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has issued an Evacuation Order for the following areas:

• Tassajara Road northwest to China Camp Campground in the Los Padres National Forest, including tributary Forest Routes and the Tassajara Zen Center.
• Upgraded the Evacuation Warning to an Order for Zone WF-3a. All areas of the Arroyo Seco Road west of Woodtick Canyon, to include the Arroyo Seco Campground, Rocky Creek Road, Camp Cawatre.

The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has issued an Evacuation Warning for the following area:

• Tassajara Road from China Camp Campground in the Los Padres National Forest northwest to Kincannon Canyon. The Warning stops at the Los Padres National Forest boundary. This does not include Kincannon Road or tributaries of Jamesburg or Cachagua Road.

From John Chesnut, Mapped perimeter from the 9 PM PDT overflight (6/22-23 overnight). Perimeter is unchanged for 24 hours. Overnight (6/22-6/23) IR interpreter report is very optimistic