Safety and Outdoor Ethics
Emergency Information: Remain Calm. Call 911.
Accidents happen. Knowing where you might need to go in case of an emergency is important in preparing for any trip.
All travel and recreation activities pose a certain degree of risk to the participants. Orienting yourself to local emergency facilities before you travel can help prevent confusion and save precious time in the event of an accident or medical emergency.
In the case of a medical emergency where immediate help is required, Call 911. Emergency operators will dispatch necessary personnel to assist you. Be prepared to give them the phone number you are calling from, the victim's location, the nature of the injury or accident and information about the victim or victims and their status.
Stay on the line and do not hang up! If possible, have someone help guide emergency personnel to the victim's location by making themselves visible near the entrance or crossroads to the location.
Remember that the Forest is remote. Emergency response times will be longer than those in an urban setting. It is a good idea to always carry First Aid supplies and be certified by your local American Red Cross in Advanced First Aid and CPR.
Naturally Occurring Asbestos
NOA can pose a health risk if disturbed and asbestos fibers are released into the air. Asbestos is typically found in ultramafic rock formations that are present in every California county.
Beware of Yellow Jackets!
These flying insects, also called "meat bees" (and several other less flattering names), are quite common in the forest. They can be very aggressive toward people, particularly during the middle of their summer nesting season. They nest in the ground. Sometimes the vibration from people hiking or riding nearby is enough to stir them up. They have been known to pick out one target from among several people. They can bite/sting repeatedly. It hurts! Watch for concentrations close to the ground and try to avoid them. The Forest Service does not remove yellow jacket nests except when they are causing a problem in a highly developed recreation facility. Otherwise, they are part of the backcountry experience!
Hunter Safety
The following rules apply when hunting in Los Padres National Forest:
- No discharging of a firearm within 150 yards of a dwelling or other building, campground, recreation site or other occupied area.
- No discharging of a firearm on or across a National Forest System Road or a body of water adjacent thereto, or in any manner or place whereby any person or property is exposed to injury or damage as a result of such discharge.
- Hunting on private land requires permission from the landowner.
- All Federal, State and local laws apply to hunters on Federal land.
The U.S. Army used Dry Canyon as an artillery practice range from 1942 to 1944. High explosive 37mm, 75mm, and 105mm cannon shells were fired into the Dry Canyon area.
It is possible that unexploded ordnance (ammunition) could still be present.
• Do not touch, kick, move, uncover, or contact any suspected military ordnance.
• If you observe military ordnance, do not approach it. Some fuzes are sensitive to movement, magnetic fields and temperature changes.
• Keep all vehicles on designated routes.
• Do not transmit radio frequencies (walkie-talkies, CB radios, cell phones) within 100 feet of suspected ordnance.
• Report any suspected military ordnance immediately by calling 911.
For additional information contact the closest office.
Warning! Dead trees or trees weakened by Sudden Oak Death have been known to topple suddenly and without warning. Be on the lookout, when visiting coastal California for trees that for trees that may be affected!
An aggressive disease called "Sudden Oak Death" (SOD) is killing our native oaks in many areas along the California coast, including Big Sur. Caused by a pathogen called Phytophthora ramorum, it kills tanoak and coast live oak, and also causes leaf spots on California bay laurel and other native and common ornamental species in this area.
The pathogen attacks a tree's bark and vascular system, stopping the flow of nutrients and water throughout the tree. Symptoms vary among tree species, but can include "bleeding" of sap through the bark, cankers, leaf spots and twig dieback. The pathogen appears to kill a tree very quickly (a few months) but it can also weaken it to the point where other destructive tree pests can take hold.
While there is still much to learn about how P. ramorum spreads from place to place, it is known that the pathogen is transported in moist soil and mud. It may also be transported through many commonly gathered plant materials like leaves from the California bay laurel tree. The threat of pathogen movement is greatest in muddy areas and during rainy weather.
Please help slow the spread of Sudden Oak Death and protect our beautiful native oaks by following these practices:
- Become familiar with the symptoms of P. ramorum.
- Avoid traveling through areas where trees are displaying symptoms.
- Watch for signs warning that you are in an infested area. (Note: P. ramorum is spreading rapidly along the Big Sur Coast and not all infested areas are marked.)
- Stay on established trails.
- Respect trail closures.
- Before leaving an infested area, remove soil and mud from your shoes, tires, pet's paws and horses' hooves.
- Respect all quarantines, including prohibitions on the cutting and transport of firewood and gathering of plant materials.
Warning! Dead trees or trees weakened by Sudden Oak Death have been known to topple suddenly and without warning. Be on the lookout!
To learn more about Sudden Oak Death and its symptoms visit the California Oak Mortality Task Force website at www.suddenoakdeath.org