Single Publication

Date: June 29, 2023

File Code: 5330
From: Danelle Harrison, Forest Supervisor
Re: Forest Order No. 05-12-55-23-05, Thomas Prescribed Fire Closure Order

Pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 551 and 36 C.F.R. § 261.50(a) and (b), and to provide for public safety, I have decided to issue Forest Order 05-12-55-23-05 authorizing a temporary closure of the Thomas Mountain Prescribed Burn Closure Area, along with certain roads and trails (collectively, the “Closures”). The Closures are depicted on the map in Exhibit A and described in Exhibit B.

On the afternoon of June 15, 2023, a planned prescribed fire was initiated starting at the Toolbox Springs Yellow Post Sites on the San Jacinto Ranger District off National Forest System Route (NFSR) 6S13. The prescribed fire location is located on National Forest System Lands southwest of State Route 74, south of Lake Hemet, and northeast of the Ramona Band of Cahuilla Reservation. The legal description is provided in the Forest Order, Exhibit B. The area within the prescribed fire boundary includes NFSR 6S13 across to NFSR 5S15 and back down to State Route 74. The burn area included the Toolbox Springs Yellow Post Sites and the Ramona Trail and Trailhead.

The Thomas Mountain prescribed fire encompasses approximately 2,500 burned and mechanically treated acres. The Closures are a necessary urgency to:

• Monitor containment and control of the burn.
• Provide for public safety within the prescribed fire footprint where fire may continue to smolder for an unknown amount of time.
• Complete prescribed fire mop-up efforts to continue to extinguish undetected hot spots.
• Allow assigned fire crews to safely travel and work on identified roads and trails.
• Evaluate and implement post-fire rehabilitation work.
• Recognize this area as highly used by the recreational visitors.
• Holiday of July 4th may also contribute to higher visitor use.
• Weather forecast is progressing to be hotter and dryer conditions for supporting new ignitions in the area.

This Forest Order includes an exemption for persons with a Forest Permit for Use of Roads, Trails, or Areas Restricted by Regulation or Order (Form FS-7700-48). Authorization under this exemption will only be provided if I or my delegate determine that the risk to personal health and safety is reasonable considering the circumstances of the request. We may also require as a condition of the exemption approval that exempted persons utilize appropriate personal protective equipment and take other necessary safety measures.

Scoping regarding this temporary closure involved discussions with multiple local and state agency cooperators. I have concluded that this decision may be categorically excluded from documentation in an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or Environmental Assessment (EA) under the National Environmental Policy Act. This action falls within the category identified in 36 C.F.R. § 220.6(d)(l) – prohibitions to provide short-term resource protection or to protect public health and safety – and does not require documentation in a decision memo, decision notice, or record of decision. I have determined that there are no extraordinary circumstances associated with this temporary closure. Implementation of this decision may begin immediately.