HikeArizona.COM

A friend working at the Mesa Ranger District sent these to me so I thought I'd pass them along. Hope this info doesn't ruin anyones plans....

TWO NATIONAL FORESTS IN ARIZONA

CLOSE AREAS JUNE 6, 2003

Phoenix (June 4, 2003)--- Prescott and Tonto national forests will
implement area closures starting at 8:00 am on Friday, June 6, 2003.

Prescott National Forest will close a large area in the Bradshaw Ranger
District in the Bradshaw Mountains southeast of Prescott. This area is
generally known as the Castle Creek Wilderness and Horsethief Basin
area.

Prescott National Forest is also expanding the campfire and smoking
restrictions forest-wide except in two areas on the Verde Ranger
District.
Pressurized liquid or gas stoves, lanterns and heaters meeting safety
specifications are allowed. The two areas exempt from fire
restrictions
are the portion of the Verde district east of Interstate 17, and
northeast
of State Highway 260. Smoking is allowed only within an enclosed
vehicle
or building.

On Tonto National Forest, area closures will be in effect around the
communities of Pine and Strawberry, from Tonto Natural Bridge State
Park
(Park is not closed) north to the Mogollon Rim (west of Highway 87),
and in
the Pinal Mountains south of Globe.

Campfire and smoking restrictions remain in place in Tonto National
Forest
north of the Control Road (Forest Road 64) and going east to Highway
260 to
the top of the Mogollon Rim.

On May 29, the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests closed the Promontory
Butte area three miles southwest of Bear Canyon Lake on the Black Mesa
Ranger District due to high fire danger. The Apache-Sitgreaves and
Coronado national forests implemented campfire and smoking restrictions
forest-wide on May 20, 2003.

At this time, Coconino and Kaibab national forests have not implemented
fire restrictions.


-more-
2-2-2 Two national forests to close areas June 6, 2003

For other local fire restrictions for any public lands in the
southwest,
you can go to: http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/fireor call toll free 1-877-864-6985.

Area Closure
The general public is not allowed to go into or be within an area,
which is
closed for the protection of public health and safety. Also the public
is
not allowed to be on any Forest Road or trail within the closed area.
Persons who live in the closure area and their invitees are allowed to
access their private property.

Campfire Restrictions:
Campfires, charcoal grills and stove fires are prohibited on national
forest lands without a permit, except in Forest Service developed camp
and
picnic grounds where grills are provided. Please contact each national
forest regarding their respective campfire regulations.

Pressurized liquid or gas stoves, lanterns and heaters meeting safety
specifications are allowed.

Smoking Restrictions:
Smoking is allowed within an enclosed vehicle or building; a developed
recreation site; or while stopped in an area at least three feet in
diameter and free of all flammable material.

Fireworks:
As always, fireworks are prohibited on all national forest lands.

Please help keep our public lands free from wildfires for the duration
of
this fire season.

I am getting used to this, it seems that in the last few years the closures are coming earlier and earlier. It is a good thing, unfortunately up here in Prescott we get a lot of "flatlanders" who have no experience camping, drag their camp trailers up here, start a big giant fire, drink kegs of beer and leave with a hangover, a camp full of trash and a hot fire. Over the years they have ruined it for those of us who are respectful of the forest and are aware of the dangers.
Thanks for the information.....

Thanks for posting the info I am leaving early friday to camp/hike along the rim.

Thanks for the information. I'm hiking in the Mount Baldy area in a week and I was hoping it wouldn't close. So far so good. :rollH:

If this keeps up.we'll have to have another Chili party! Who's got a house with pool??This time Teva has to make an appearance!!

i'd be looking foward to the 2nd chilli party myself. yeah, I'd say it would be great to see an appearance by Joe.

I would like to attend one of these events myself.

whoa

man I don't know if I can turn down the opportunity to meet jeremy

dude where's your book already! You have way to much good stuff bottled up, start sharin'!

now imagine
jeremy, lizard, arizonaheat, fritzski, daryl, etc. all in the same room
there'd be so much outdoor intelligence
I doubt they'd even show up on film

oh, oh oh... we could talk Lizard into dragging Brian Bachelder up from Tucson too!

ahhhhhhhhhhhhh, that'll never happen
back to reality, back to the trails