Latest news with #USDAForestService
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New trails and parking unveiled at Old Fort post-Hurricane Helene
OLD FORT, N.C. (WNCT) — After months of Helene-related repair work, new trails and additional parking areas have opened in Old Fort, N.C. Thanks to the USDA Forest Service's Grandfather Ranger District and McDowell County, the 8 miles of trails will provide new connections in the Old Fort Trail system. In total, 20 of the 42 miles under the Old Fort Trail project are now open for hikers, bikers and equestrians. The new trails include: Catawba View Trail. Deep Cove Trail. Camp Rock Trail. Jerdon Connector. Stagecoach. The Old Fort Trails Project hopes improve the health and wellness of residents, grow the local economy through outdoor recreation, and build community through shared spaces on public lands. New parking areas will also be open at the Gateway Trailhead (new Meadows Parking) and at Camp Grier's Allison Trailhead on Mill Creek Road. Hazards are still present in the forests due to Hurricane Helene, so be sure to lookout for trees that may be weakened or washouts on access roads while you explore these trails. For more information on trail conditions in the Grandfather Ranger District, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Newsweek
24-05-2025
- Newsweek
California Wildfire Near Yosemite National Park Sparks Evacuation
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. About 300 people in California have been evacuated due to the Inn fire near Yosemite National Park, Lisa Cox, public affairs officer for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, told Newsweek by phone Saturday. The wildfire started Thursday afternoon about 60 miles east from the entrance to Yosemite National Park. The blaze grew to just over 700 acres in two days due to "dry, erratic winds," according to the latest fire update issued Saturday morning by InciWeb, an information management system that provides information about active incidents, including wildfires and other emergencies. One structure has been damaged so far, InciWeb shows. So far, no injuries or deaths have been reported on the website. Roadways in the area have shut down due to the rapidly spreading fire, including US 395, which drives right into Yosemite. Cox told Newsweek that this is the first fire they've had in the area this year. Why It Matters The wildfire season has grown longer, from four to about eight months, due to environmental impacts, according to a 2019 report from the USDA Forest Service. Studies have shown that climate change has resulted not only in a longer wildfire season but also an increase in the frequency of wildfires and acreage burned, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said in a report citing data tracked from 1983 to 2022. Yosemite National Park saw more than 4 million visitors last year and now requires reservations to visit during Memorial Day, according to the National Park Service website. What To Know Hundreds of firefighters are currently on the scene working to combat any fire growth, Cox told Newsweek. Along with ground crews, aircrafts were immediately requested when the fire was spotted around 3:36 p.m. local time on Thursday, according to InciWeb. Once smoke was spotted, the Mono County Sheriff's Office went door-to-door evacuating residents ahead of the quick moving fire. Within six hours of the fire being spotted, more than 538 acres had been scorched, InciWeb said. Resources from multiple agencies, including the Inyo National Forest, Bureau of Land Management, CAL FIRE, Mammoth Lakes Fire Department, Mono City and Lee Vining Volunteer fire departments have all gone to the scene to help with the firefight. Hotshot crews and strike teams are also responding to the area. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined as firefighters continue to battle the blaze. Entrance sign to Yosemite National Park, California, is seen on September 30, 2005. Entrance sign to Yosemite National Park, California, is seen on September 30, 2005. Photo by Jim Steinfeldt/MichaelWhat People Are Saying Lisa Cox, public affairs officer for the USDA Forest Service, said in a Friday press release: "Evacuations and repopulations will not occur until this northern flank of the fire is secured by firefighters and the predicted winds out of the south no longer threaten this community with potential spot fires." Mono County Tourism wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday: "US 395 is closed between Lee Vining & Mono City. Expected to stay closed into the weekend. Detours: SR 167, NV 208, US 6, Benton Crossing, US 120 E. Businesses OPEN. Minimal smoke outside fire area. Thank you, first responders." What Happens Next? Cox told Newsweek that the firefight is going well, with about 15 percent containment overnight. "Looks like it laid down a lot last night," she added. It's unclear when evacuees can return to their homes, but InciWeb says that Highway 395 will be closed until all downed power lines are fixed and the roadway is safe to drive.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Cibola National Forest warns visitors about territorial birds
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The Cibola National Forest and National Grasslands issued a warning for visitors about territorial birds that have swooped down on visitors. A pair of Northern Goshawks is defending a mating territory along the Amijo, Pine Drop, Cresta, and Valle Trails on the Sandia Ranger District. From poison ivy to poison hemlock. Here's what to know on toxic plants in New Mexico Forest officials said the birds often defend their breeding territories during nesting season with aggressive behavior, including loud vocalizations, swooping down, and, in rare cases, making contact with intruders. 'Forest Service staff have received reports of these Goshawks aggressively swooping down on forest visitors. The Goshawks will continue to defend their territory through the middle of August, when the young fledge and venture out on their own,' Andrew Ellis, a wildlife biologist with the USDA Forest Service, stated in a news release. Staff are encouraging visitors to avoid the area. People who choose to visit the area should move quietly and calmly, wear wide-brimmed hats, eye protection, and stay alert. If a Goshawk is encountered through alarm calls or defensive behavior, leave the area immediately while keeping eyes on the bird. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Environmental reviews protect lakes and forests from political chainsaws
From Ashland in the north to Zenda in the south, the voices of Wisconsin farmers, native people, homeowners and other landowners are critical in safeguarding public lands. But their voices aimed at protecting our health, air, water and wild places are diminished through President Trump's Executive Order 14154. I'm not a billionaire or politician. I'm a recently retired USDA Forest Service and National Park Service employee who believes in protecting our public land. For decades, the National Environmental Policy Act, has provided a democratic process for public input when the federal government analyzes environmental and other consequences of federally funded projects – like replacing a bridge, creating bike pathways or installing a petroleum pipeline. When a proposed highway project impacts your town, you can suggest an alternative route. A good example in Wisconsin is the Highway 26 bypass. The proposed route would have crossed dairy farms, but based on public input the route was moved to minimize the impact to farmland. Without the act, the needs of the community would not have been heard. The act requires that analyses adequately consider the consequences of any project on air and water quality, rivers and lakes, wildlife and their habitats, and historic sites. Letters: I've seen firsthand how wake-enhanced boating makes small Wisconsin lakes unsafe It also requires that the federal government give the public time to read about a proposed project and the environmental analyses on the plan as well as to allow comments or questions on any part of the project or analyses. During my career I experienced several examples where local people had more information than the government, and their suggestions made the projects better, such as: In the Chequamegon Nicolet National Forest, adjacent landowners had better information about a forest stand than the Forest Service, and we changed the proposed treatment. The Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians recommended spreading logging treatments over time and space to reduce local impacts. We accepted their suggestion, and it made the plan better. The act is the public's opportunity to influence federal projects, ensuring that environmental impacts are thoughtfully evaluated and all reasonable alternatives considered. The Trump administration would like to shorten the review process and potentially short-cut the more in-depth reviews for projects that have high environmental consequences. The government could improve the efficiency of these environmental studies by hiring more experts whose sole function is these reviews, but the target of the Executive Order is less review and fewer public comments. And with the recent reductions in federal agencies like the National Park Service or Forest Service, there will be fewer people to analyze these projects. Opinion: Campaigns have always been rough. I'm sick of politics of personal destruction. Speeding up the approval process risks reducing environmental protection and public participation. If you didn't already know about this new rule, it's because the review and comment period were shortened to limit your input. See, it's already working! Tell your representatives that you support NEPA so we can have input on federal projects that impact our environment. Gus Smith is a recently retired USDA Forest Service and National Park Service employee, former Northland College professor and longtime Wisconsin resident. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Democracy suffers when public not allowed input on projects | Opinion
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Croatan National Forest fire 950 acres in size, 60 percent contained
NEW BERN, N.C. (WNCT) — The Black Swamp Fire remains 950 acres in size and is 60 percent contained in the Croatan National Forest, according to officials with the U.S. Forest Service. More than 80 people with the USDA Forest Service, N.C. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, N.C. Wildlife Resource Commission and National Park Service are working on the fire. Saturday continued efforts to improve contingency lines, sprinkler operations and moving large amounts of water closer to the fire. A total of 195,000 gallons of water has been dropped on the fire by helicopters. Some closures remain in place for Black Swamp Road, the Black Swamp OHV area, Great Lake Boating Access area, Sheep Ridge Wilderness area and portions of Great Lake Road, Seaborn Road and Holston Hunter Road. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
