LOCAL NATIONAL FORESTS CLOSED FIRES PRESENT AN 'EXTREME DANGER' RISK.

Byline: Keith Lair Staff Writer

To the disappointment of hunters, anglers, hikers and cyclists, recreational use of the Angeles, San Bernardino and Cleveland national forests and portions of the Los Padres National Forest have been closed until the end of fire season.

The action was taken Monday to help prevent the spread of wildfires. It is the second year in a row the action has been taken.

``This is my time for being in the outdoors,'' says John Hybarger, a member of the Los Angeles County Fish and Game Commission and a Baldwin Park resident. ``Our family does more hiking and being outdoors at this time of the year. So, we all suffer. But until the (U.S. Forest Service) has a management plan in place for growth and fire suppression, I'm afraid this is going to be a repetitive cycle.''

County roads and state highways will be open, but no stopping will be allowed.

``We do not like doing it, but on the other hand, considering the fire situation, we had to,'' Angeles National Forest spokeswoman Kathy Peterson said. ``It's not about potential, but actuality. There is extreme danger.''

Last year, the Sept. 2 start of the Curve Fire and Sept. 22 start of the Williams Fire, both in San Gabriel Canyon, led to the forests closing recreation areas Sept. 22.

Monday's closure comes right in the middle of the deer hunting season. Last year, because the closures happened before the start of the season, those who had deer tags received refunds. This year, with the season starting Oct. 11 in D11 Zone, which comprises almost all of the Angeles National Forest and a portion of the San Bernardino National Forest, hunters had 17 days of a season. The Department of Fish and Game will not issue refunds this year.

``We sold the tickets to play the game and someone called the game on us,'' said Craig Stowers of the DFG's Deer Management Program. ``In the short term, hunters did not get their full value. But in the long term, they can think that they are making a generous contribution to the future of our programs.''

The DFG advised hunters before the season of the threat of zone closures because of fire hazards.

``I was expecting a lot more complaints, but I've received three so far,'' Stowers said. ``We've had extreme drought and poor forest management. The stage was set for this years ago.''

Stowers said it would be problematic to change the deer season. If the season were earlier, it would be too hot. If it were later, it would interfere with the male rut season, leaving deer too exposed to hunters.

``People are going to quit buying this and we'll have less revenue,'' Hybarger says of area deer tags. ``People will see that this has happened a second year and they'll see a pattern.''

The closure affects deer hunters the most because many anglers, hikers and cyclists have other options.

However, more than a dozen lakes and streams now are closed, including all three forks of the San Gabriel River and Crystal Lake in the Angeles and Silverwood Lake, Lake Gregory, Lake Arrowbear, Green Valley Lake and Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino.

Pyramid Lake, which was closed last year, will remain open this time.

``No open fires are allowed, and until we are told, we will remain open,'' concessionaire Lynn Macaluso said.

Keith Lair, [phone]

keith.lair(at)sgvn.com