Lake Fire Suppression Repair Set to Resume October 21

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SOLVANG, Calif. – Los Padres National Forest officials announced today that suppression repair work in areas affected by the Lake Fire would resume on Monday, October 21. The goal of this work is to repair damages caused by fire suppression and return the area to a more natural condition by rehabilitating impacted areas to the extent practical. 

Forest crews using heavy equipment will begin the first phase of suppression repair work on the Santa Lucia Ranger District in the Colson, Buckhorn Ridge and Pine Canyon areas. Suppression repair will take place in areas on and adjacent to Forest Roads 11N04, 11N03 and 31W14. This first phase of work is expected to take approximately two weeks to complete.

The second phase of suppression repair work will shift to the Figueroa, School House, Manzana and Catway areas. The final phase will target the Santa Barbara Ranger District’s Upper Oso and McKinley areas. 

Where possible, efforts will be made to avoid concentrations of water runoff onto the fireline to allow for proper water drainage across slopes and to reduce impacts caused by fire suppression activities. Resource advisors and archaeological staff have completed surveys of these areas to ensure the absence of sensitive flora and fauna. The team is working with the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians to protect cultural resources located within the Lake Fire burn scar where suppression repair work is implemented.

Heavy equipment including dozers, water tenders and excavators will begin work October 21. The total estimated time for completion of all areas is 4 to 6 weeks.

For additional information, please visit the Forest website at www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf.