Santiago Fire Burn Area

 

Santiago Fire burned area on the Trabuco Ranger District is now open. Please stay on designated roads and trails.

For further information, call (951)736-1811.

Forest visitors can check on road access, allowable recreational activities, and other restrictions by visiting to the forest website, www.fs.fed.us/r5/cleveland and clicking on "current conditions" or by calling the nearest district office.

Fire Information

Santiago Fire - The fire started on October 21, 2007. Total acres burned were 28,476. The Santiago Fire burned a total of 28,476 acres, 6,701 acres of which burned on the Cleveland NF and 21,775 acres of which burned on private land. The Forest Service has conducted post fire assessments in a process called the Burned Area Emergency Response or BAER. The Santiago Fire, which burned in eastern Orange County, has been allocated $4,976,500 to implement treatments on national forest system lands, such as aerial hydro-mulching of 1,241 acres to reduce potential flood and sediment damage to downstream communities; stabilization of 14 miles of road; installation of warning and information signs; and construction of OHV barriers.

Single engine airplanes and a large helicopter working over the Santiago Fire area began on December 17th signaling the start of the US Forest Service’s aerial hydromulch operations, designed to minimize soil erosion and reduce run-off in the canyon areas of Silverado and Modjeska Canyons.

The Forest Service has conducted post fire assessments in a process called the Burned Area Emergency Response or BAER. From that report, a team of resource specialists have recommended and funding has been obtained to treat 1,241 acres of Forest Service lands with aerially-applied hydromulch. These lands are where the fire intensity was rated as high and the slopes are less than 50%. The Santiago Fire burned a total of 28,476 acres, but most of the high-intensity burned acres were on the 6,701 acres of Forest Service lands located at the east end of the fire in the higher elevations.

Witch and Poomacha Fires - The Cleveland National Forest (Cleveland NF) has released the approved Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Assessment Report for the Witch and Poomacha Fires, which burned during the last week in October and the first week in November. The Cleveland NF will receive $742,770 to implement the recommended treatment methods that include; 1 mile of range fencing; road stabilization; culvert and side drain repair and maintenance; stabilization of the San Diego River, Thornbrush and Cedar Creek Falls trails; pipe rail barriers, gates and informational signing.

The Witch Fire started on October 21, 2007 and burned 163,240 acres total, with 44,144 acres burning on the Cleveland National Forest, 12,141 burning on other federal lands, 124 acres of state lands and 106,831 acres of private land.

The Poomacha Fire started on October 23 on a structure fire on the La Jolla Indian Reservation and burned 49,410 acres total, with 5,180 acres burning on the Cleveland National Forest, 22,529 acres burning on other federal lands, 1,097 acres burning on state lands and 20,604 acres burning on private lands.

Harris Fire -The Harris Fire started on October 21, 2007, burned a total of 90,416 acres, 4,481 acres of which burned on the Cleveland NF and 85,935 acres of which burned on private land.  The Harris Fire, which burned in the southeastern portion of San Diego County, has been allocated $270,134 to implement treatments on national forest system lands, such as installation of gates and information signs; road stabilization projects; culvert and side drain maintenance; and a noxious weeds survey.