Most areas of the Umpqua National Forest have reopened for recreation following last summer’s wildfires.
Some areas were closed until recently due to damage from the Jack Fire and the Rough Patch Complex, both of which started last July east of Roseburg. The fires eventually burned more than 74,000 acres.
In this 2021 photo provided by the Jack Fire Incident Command, smoke from the Rough Patch Complex can be seen.
Jack Fire Incident Command via InciWeb
Even though the blazes were contained last fall, it takes time to open up areas with burned trees and unstable slopes, said U.S. Forest Service spokesperson Chris Bentley.
“It’s sort of a sequential process of putting out the fire, making sure that those hazards are removed, and then we’re about to get our rec crews in, our road crews in, to reestablish things,” he said. “So it takes some time.”
A handful of trails remain closed in the area. Bentley said those closures are marked with signs, but he suggests hikers consult the Umpqua National Forest website for updates before heading out.