Whiskeytown, Calif. - The National Park Service will reopen the Whiskey Creek and East Beach areas of Whiskeytown National Recreation Area on Saturday, September 1 at 6:05 a.m. All other areas of the park, including trails, campgrounds, and facilities, remain closed due to hazardous conditions following the devastating Carr Fire.
“We are pleased to begin the reopening process of the park, thanks to the hard work of the Whiskeytown park staff and our National Park Service colleagues from around the country who have assisted in the recovery," said Patrick Gubbins, acting superintendent of Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. “We are grateful for the tremendous support and understanding we have received from our neighbors and the community at large during the aftermath and early stages of recovery from this unprecedented fire damage."
Whiskey Creek and East Beach will open on Saturday, September 1 at 6:05 a.m., with the following provisions:
* Whiskey Creek and East Beach will be open for day-use only, from dawn to dusk, until further notice.
* Whiskeytown National Park rangers will sweep the areas each day to ensure all park visitors are clear of the area.
* It may be necessary to reclose these areas should the rain or other events trigger landslides, debris flow or other activities that would pose a threat to visitor safety
* Other than the East Beach Parking area, no stopping is allowed along John F. Kennedy Memorial Drive.
* The visitor center is open daily from 10 am to 4 pm.
* All other areas of the park are closed.
Visitors are reminded that Whiskeytown National Recreation Area is managed as a natural area and that there are always risks involved in outdoor recreation. Visitors should exercise caution while recreating and remain aware of their surroundings.
The majority of Whiskeytown remains closed to public use due to continued risks from hazardous trees and other post-fire damage. Though John F. Kennedy Memorial Drive, Page Bar Lane and Mule Town Road are open to traffic, all pull-offs, parking lots and trails off located along those roads are closed.
On July 23, the Carr Fire started on Hwy 299 inside Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. Suppression response was immediate and aggressive, with unified joint command of the National Park Service and CalFire, with a robust, full-scale initial attack. The fire was fought aggressively utilizing hand and engine crews, bulldozers, and air attack. In spite of full suppression tactics, the fire quickly spread north out of the park, and over the next week burned in and around the park, eventually burning 39,000 of the park's 42,000 acres, and forcing campground, inholding, local community, and National Park Service staff evacuations.
Please check the park website www.nps.gov/whis or Facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/whiskeytownnationalrecreationarea/ for the latest information.
Tags: carr fire wildfire
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
