PENDLETON, Ore. (June 23, 2022) — Following assessments of road conditions after the recent rainfall, Umatilla National Forest officials have lifted the temporary closures on Forest Service Roads 4712 and 4713 on the Pomeroy Ranger District.
The Umatilla National Forest temporarily closed both roads in early June due to debris flows and flooding within the Green Ridge Fire footprint, which caused standing water in both the Lady Bug and Panjab Campgrounds and created a debris jam at the Panjab Creek Trailhead bridge. While water levels have receded, the bridge received some damage and Forest officials are evaluating repair needs. Additionally, Panjab Trail #3127 has several debris slides and is currently impassable to stock.
Forest visitors are reminded that these areas were impacted by wildfire in 2021. Falling trees and unstable trail surface are currently potential hazards in the burned areas and the public should use caution when recreating in areas that have recently burned. Always be aware of increased hazards when entering a burned area, particularly snags (which are recently burned or dead trees). Dead or dying trees that remain standing after a fire are unstable, especially in high winds. Loose rocks and logs can be present in a burned area and are unpredictable, creating a falling a hazard. The ground in a burned area can also be unstable, due to burned-out roots beneath the soil. After soils and vegetation have been charred, rainfall that would normally be absorbed could run off extremely quickly.
Information about the Umatilla National Forest’s 2021 fire season, post-fire recovery projects and long-term restoration is available on an interactive story map, which can be viewed here: https://arcg.is/0nyrWq. The story map provides a summary of the 2021 wildfire season, photos and maps of treatments that aided in firefighting efforts, and updates on restoration activities moving forward.
More information about the Umatilla National Forest is available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/umatilla.
