ANDERSON, Calif.—One of the nation’s largest lumber manufacturers, Sierra Pacific Industries, closed public access to its California forests July 1 due to a high risk of wildfires.
“Despite some of the late spring rains, California is experiencing the driest conditions in 1,200 years,” spokeswoman Andrea Howell said in a statement.
The company owns more than 2.3 million acres of forest in California, Oregon, and Washington and offers recreational opportunities for public access on private and working forestlands. The closure only applies to its California forestlands.
The closure is expected to remain through fall of this year.
During the closure, the company’s roads and privately-owned lands will be prohibited from use….