Locals banned from national forest

By DAILY SOUND STAFF

Forest officials banned eight Santa Barbara County residents from all national forests for one year after they pleaded guilty to violating fire restrictions in the Los Padres National Forest last month.

Authorities said the eight defendants also received fines between $200 and $300. Five pleaded guilty to building a campfire at Upper Oso Campground and Cachuma Campground, U.S. Forest Service officials said, while the other three pleaded guilty to illegal target shooting at the Arroyo Burro shooting area on East Camino Cielo.

Campfires, barbeques and target shooting have been prohibited in the national forest since July 18, when forest officials increased fire restrictions following several high-profile blazes.

“We have just experienced a catastrophic wildfire season and are very fortunate that none of these violations resulted in a wildfire,” Ron Pugh, special agent for the Pacific Southwest Region of the Forest Service, said in a prepared statement. “We greatly appreciate the federal magistrate’s decision in these cases and hope this sends a clear message that violating fire restrictions in the national forest is a serious matter and will not be tolerated.”

Along with the Gap Fire, which burned more than 9,400 acres in the hills above Goleta, forest officials have faced two other major blazes — the Indians and Chalk fires — which scorched more than 100,000 acres and cost more than $72 million to fight.

Authorities have arrested a 16-year-old boy for starting the Gap Fire. The other two fires are still under investigation, but officials have determined both were human-caused.

A seasonal ban on target shooting, campfires and barbeques will be lifted this Friday as the national forest moves into its “low-fire season,” but authorities urged the public to be aware of some fire restrictions that remain in effect.

More information about local conditions and restrictions is available by contacting any Forest Service office or visiting www.fs.fed.us/r5/lospadres.

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