For Immediate Release
May 23, 2016
CONTACT: Joel Miller, 707 431 4554 Joel.D.Miller@usace.army.mil
J.D. Hardesty, 415 503 6801 John.D.Hardesty@usace.army.mil
San Francisco – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has ordered a temporary ban on camp fires and open flames in all boat-in and hike-in campgrounds at Lake Sonoma. Heavy winter rains have left tall grass and an abundance of brush, which, coupled with recent drier conditions and lingering effects of the four-year drought have created dangerous fire conditions.
The ban will remain in place until the San Francisco District Operations Chief in conjunction with Cal-Fire determines conditions are safe to allow for campfires to resume.
Campfires will be permitted at Lake Sonoma’s two drive in campgrounds, Liberty Glen and the Lake Sonoma Marina Campground.
Lake Mendocino maintenance crews have constructed fire breaks on sloping terrain to reduce fire risk. There are currently no restrictions on campfires at Lake Mendocino for Memorial Day weekend.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers owns and operates Lake Sonoma and is the nation’s largest federal provider of outdoor and water-based recreation, hosting more than 370 million visits annually to its more than 400 lakes and river projects. To discover a USACE recreation site nearest you, visit http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visitors/visitors.cfm