[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 194 (Thursday, October 7, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54634-54635]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-24822]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management
[CA-680-99-2822-00-D889]


Closure and Restriction Orders

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Interior.

ACTION: Emergency closure of certain public lands to human entry in the 
Juniper Flats area, San Bernardino County, California.

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SUMMARY: Public lands in the Juniper Flats area are closed to human 
entry for 30 days, from September 18, 1999, to October 17, 1999. Closed 
are approximately 16,000 acres burned in the Willow fire. You are not 
to enter the closed area by any means of access, including but not 
limited to: motor vehicles, OHVs, equestrian, bike or foot traffic. The 
closure protects soil, cultural resources, vegetation, wildlife, and 
wildlife habitat. It also allows on-going fire assessment and repair 
activities to occur without interruption.

DATES: This closure order goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, 
September 18, 1999, and shall remain in effect until 11:59 p.m. on 
Sunday, October 17, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tim Read, Barstow Field Office 
Manager, Bureau of Land Management, 2601 Barstow Road, Barstow, CA 
92311; or call (760) 252-6000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On Saturday, August 28th, the Willow Fire 
started on U.S. Forest Service lands adjacent to BLM lands in the 
Juniper Flats area. The fire burned 63,486 acres, including 
approximately 16,000 acres of BLM land. Natural resources comprising 
the local ecosystems were extensively damaged by the fire. The 
vegetative cover was burned away leaving bare soils exposed and 
vulnerable to erosion. The loss of vegetation has also stressed 
wildlife populations by reducing available cover and forage.
    As a result of the fire damage, cultural resources, soils, 
vegetation, wildlife, and wildlife habitat are extremely sensitive to 
further impacts from human activity. The closure is required to prevent 
disturbances to these sensitive resources. By preventing disturbances 
we will avoid excessive soil erosion and loss, vegetative damage, 
wildlife mortality, riparian area degradation, destruction of range 
management fences, and water quality impacts. Temporarily closing the 
area provides a protected environment for natural systems to begin 
recovering. A successful recovery is needed to sustain the long-term 
health of the land.
    In general, all public lands are closed up to the forest boundary 
east of Deep Creek Road, south of the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe rail 
lines and west of Highway 18. The authority for this closure is 43 CFR 
8364.1. This closure only applies to those portions of the following 
sections burned during the Willow Fire: San Bernardino Base and 
Meridian, T.3N. R.1W. sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; T.3N. R.2W. sections 1, 
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8; T.3N. R.3W. sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 
10, 11 and 12; T.4N. R.1W. sections 31 and 32; T.4N. R.2W. sections 26, 
27, 28, 29, 31, 32, 33, 34 and 35; T.4N. R.3W. sections 21, 22, 23, 24, 
25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 and 35. If you fail to comply with 
this

[[Page 54635]]

closure order you may be fined up to $100,000.00 or be imprisoned for 
up to 12 months, or both.
    You are exempt from this closure if you are engaged in one these 
activities: law enforcement, emergency services, agency personnel on 
official business, permitted uses, or work to maintain utilities and 
infrastructure. You and your guests are exempt if you own property or 
live within the closed area. This closure affects only public lands. 
County roads and segments of roads through private lands are 
unaffected. You are exempt to use the portion of Bowen Ranch Road that 
is a County road. The exempt portion crosses public lands in section 31 
of T.4N. R.2W., and sections 1, 11 and 12 of T.3N. R.3W., ending at the 
boundary of the Bowen Ranch.
    A previous 3-day emergency closure provided immediate protection 
for the burned area during Labor Day weekend. This 30-day closure is 
intended to provide interim protection while a long term rehabilitation 
strategy is developed. The strategy will be based on a report being 
prepared by a fire rehabilitation team. The team is currently assessing 
damage and planning corrective actions. This closure order may be re-
issued for a longer time period based on the rehabilitation strategy.
Brad Blomquist,
BLM, Acting Barstow Field Office Manager.
[FR Doc. 99-24822 Filed 10-6-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-40-M