The U.S. Forest Service is closing all national forests in California due to the current wildfires across the state.
The closure begins Tuesday, Aug. 31 at 11:59 p.m. and extends through Friday, Sept. 17 at 11:59 p.m.
The Forest Service says the decision was made for public and firefighter safety.
Officials say that by temporarily reducing the number of people in the forests, they hope to minimize the likelihood that visitors could become trapped during an emergency. Plus, they say it'll decrease the potential for new fires to start.
They say while the potential for large fires is not new, they are facing record level fuel and fire conditions, abnormal fire behavior, and limited resources.
"We do not take this decision lightly but this is the best choice for public safety," said Regional Forester Jennifer Eberlien. "It is especially hard with the approaching Labor Day weekend, when so many people enjoy our national forests."
The order does not affect the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest.
Click here to read the full order.
This story was originally published by staff at KSBY.
