Pacific Crest Trail to reopen after Apple Fire closure
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MORENO VALLEY, Calif. - As fire crews continue to gain the upper hand on the 33,424-acre Apple Fire, incident commanders have determined there is no longer an immediate threat to users of the Pacific Crest Trail. Both the Bureau of Land Management California Desert District and San Bernardino National Forest will reopen the trail on Friday, Aug. 21. The existing closure that will be lifted is between the Cottonwood Trailhead, near the community of Whitewater, and Forest Road No. 1N01 (Pipes Canyon Road) on Onyx Summit.
Portions of the San Gorgonio Wilderness on the San Bernardino National Forest, including inbound trails and associated parking lots, will remain closed at this time. Crews continue to work in the wilderness, addressing interior sections of the fire, which is currently 95 percent contained. Until the interior pockets of heat are mitigated, there remains a risk that the fire could flare up and move deeper into the wilderness.
Incident commanders will additionally consult the Burned Area Emergency Response team on modifying the closure at a future date based on potential debris flows.
More information about the Apple Fire can be found on InciWeb.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.