Ramsey Fire Area Closed for Public Safety

 

 

 

 

Sonora, Calif. (Sept. 6, 2012) Stanislaus National Forest (NF) Supervisor Susan Skalski announced today the closure of the Ramsey Fire burned area of the Calaveras Ranger District for public safety. Roads and trails into the burned area were officially closed to the public during the fire and remain closed. The Forest Service has now closed the entire area within the Ramsey Fire perimeter by Forest Order for public safety.

 

The Ramsey Fire, south of Hwy. 4 between Cottage Springs and the Cal Trans Cabbage Patch Maintenance Station, is 100% contained and controlled. "The burned area within the Ramsey Fire perimeter is a dangerous place to be," said Skalski. "The threat of hidden hazards looms large. Along with the obvious hazards of burned trees coming down we've discovered that seemingly healthy green trees have compromised root systems and pose a serious risk of falling as well," she said.

 

A Burned Area Emergency Response assessment team (BAER) evaluated risks associated with the post-fire environment. In the burned area, fire management personnel and the BAER team observed and were exposed to a higher than typical frequency of hazard trees. Of particular concern are falling trees with green canopies, whose root systems were burnt through by the fire and may not be obvious to the Forest user.

"In some areas ten inches of red fir duff is built up on the forest floor. When that material burned it left pockets of hot ash that baked the shallow root systems in rocky soil," said BEAR team leader, Alex Janicki,  "leaving a tree standing that looks healthy, but is only waiting for a gust of wind to nudge it over."

 

Other hazards also exist in the burned area. Burned out stumps and root systems covered in ash, poses pit fall hazards that may still have hot embers burning beneath the ground. With the loss of ground cover there is an increased risk of soil erosion causing unstable ground.

 

There are hazards on the roads, too. Firefighters monitoring and mopping up after the fire are still moving equipment and vehicles in the area. Culverts could clog with burned material after thunder storms that are typical this time of year. Maintenance crews will be installing dips and water bars on the roads to channel water to reduce road erosion and mitigate impacts to streams. Roads will be signed closed and blocked to prevent vehicle access.

 

The Forest Service is removing hazard trees along National Forest roads and land boundaries to reduce the threat to people and properties. Despite measures in place to reduce risk to resources and human life in the burned area, the Ramsey fire area will remain hazardous for some time to come. Check with the Calaveras Ranger District Office (209-795-1381) at Hathaway Pines, Calif. or the Forest website at www.fs.usda.gov/stanislaus for details.

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