Fort Sage OHV Area Reopens After Fire; Visitors Urged to Stay on Trails

Organization

Bureau of Land Management, California

BLM Office:

Northern California District Office

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Wide-open mountain area scarred by a wildfire with a BLM sign that reads "Entering Wildfire Recovery Area, your help is needed, motorized vehicles please stay on designated roads and trails." Photo by Marisa Williams, BLM.DOYLE, Calif. --  The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) reopens nearly 100 miles of trails in the Fort Sage Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) Area near Doyle, giving OHV riders and drivers access to the area after a temporary closure caused by the Long Valley Fire.

“We are asking visitors to stay on established trails to avoid causing soil damage in areas that were burned,” said Stuart Mitchell, acting field manager for the BLM Eagle Lake Field Office.  “In a few weeks we will begin reseeding burned areas, and it will be critical that vehicles, horses and even people on foot stay off of these sites to allow the seeds to sprout and avoid creating trails that others might be tempted to follow.”

Mitchell said Fort Sage visitors can be valuable BLM partners in fire recovery efforts by educating their peers about the importance of fire recovery and managing the Fort Sage Area in a sustainable way.

The Long Valley Fire burned with varying intensities across the OHV recreation area about 40 miles north of Reno.  In some areas, the fire completely burned grass and shrubs, while in others the fire burned in a mosaic pattern, leaving islands of unburned plants.

The fire started July 11 and burned more than 83,000 acres before it was contained on July 24. 


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.