[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 207 (Wednesday, October 27, 1999)] [Notices] [Page 57903] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 99-27704] [[Page 57903]] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: Public lands in the Juniper Flats area are closed to human entry from October 17, 1999 to July 1, 2000. 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 persons, property, soil, cultural resources, vegetation, wildlife, and wildlife habitat. DATES: This closure order goes into effect at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, October 17, 1999 and shall remain in effect until 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, July 1, 2000. 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. The fire damaged cultural resources, soils, vegetation, wildlife, and wildlife habitat. As a result these resources are extremely sensitive to further impacts from human activity. We are closing the area to prevent disturbances to these types of sensitive resources. By preventing disturbances we will help avoid excessive soil erosion and loss, vegetative damage, wildlife mortality, riparian area degradation, destruction of 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, the closed public lands are east of Deep Creek Road, south of the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe rail lines, west of Highway 18, and north of Deep Creek. The authority for this closure is 43 CFR 8364.1, 18 U.S.C. 3571. 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 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 of these activities: law enforcement, emergency services, government business, or work to maintain utilities and infrastructure. You may be exempt if permitted by a BLM Authorizing Officer. You and your guests are exempt to access your residence or property if it is within the closed area. This closure only affects 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. Two previous closures provided immediate protection for the burned area. While those closures were in effect a long term rehabilitation strategy was developed. The strategy is contained in a report compiled by the fire rehabilitation team. The closure is being re-issued as part of the rehabilitation strategy. Our intent is to protect the damaged natural systems through at least the first growing season. The growing season runs from the fall to the spring. This is when there is sufficient rainfall for the vegetation to grow. The recovery effort will be evaluated next spring to determine if the closure needs to be re-issued again. Tim Read, BLM, Barstow Field Office Manager. [FR Doc. 99-27704 Filed 10-26-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-40-M