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You may now move freely about Angeles National Forest
In this file photo, a driver rides the Angeles Crest Highway (State Route 2) in the Angeles National Forest on October 2, 2013 in the San Gabriel Mountains, northeast of Los Angeles, California. On Friday, forest officials announced that most remaining areas that were closed due to the 2009 Station Fire would be reopened over Memorial Day weekend.
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David McNew/Getty Images
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The Angeles National Forest is one of nine national parks in California affected by the government shutdown starting Tuesday, Oct. 1.
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Maya Sugarman/KPCC
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Nearly all areas of Angeles National Forest that were closed because of the 2009 Station Fire will reopen over Memorial Day Weekend, officials said Friday.
The fire scorched about 161,000 acres, and vast sections of the burn area remained closed for public safety and to help the vegetation recover, according to a U.S. Forest Service statement.
"We have worked very hard to get these areas reforested and restored since the Station Fire," forest supervisor Tom Contreras said in the statement. "Now people can enjoy them just like they do the rest of the forest."
The forest service has reopened sections of the recovery area gradually since the closures were first announced.
Fire danger remains "very high," though, and officials warned that open wood and charcoal fires are permitted only in campgrounds and picnic areas where a steel fire ring and grills are provided.
Among the areas that remain closed:
- Lower Gabrielino Trail (below Bear Canyon Trail)
- Barley Flats Trail
- Colby Trail
- Ken Burton Trail
- Millard Water Fall User Trail
- Santa Clara Divide Road (FS3N17)
- Messenger Flats Campground
- Lightning Point Campground
- Big Buck Campground
Several roads also remain closed while the forest service clears out dead trees that might still pose a threat to public safety, as seen in the map below. The black lines indicate road closures. The red zone represents the burn area from the 2009 Station Fire.
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Note: Locations and boundaries are approximate. | Source: U.S. Forest Service; GeoMAC
This story has been updated.
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