Almost three years after the Dixie Fire ripped through large parts of Lassen Volcanic National Park, the northern California park now faces yet another potentially devastating wildfire.
The massive Park Fire is located to the southwest of the national park and is spreading, threatening park staff offices in the town of Mineral and even Manzanita Lake, both of which were not affected by the Dixie Fire.
“We are in communication with the Park Fire incident management team and monitoring the situation closely. We have evacuated park staff from offices in Mineral, CA on the south side of the park and relocated some of our information technology infrastructure,” the park said on its Facebook page on Friday, July 26.
Lassen Volcanic National Park Closed to the Public Due to Park Fire
At the time being, the entire park is closed to the public. There are emergency closures on Butte Lake Road and Warner Valley Road, while Highway 89—also known as the Lassen Volcanic—is open only to through traffic for the purpose of evacuation.
Recreational travel is prohibited to keep the road clear for evacuating residents of the park and the local communities. All other recreational activities in the park are also suspended due to the Park Fire.
Visitors have been evacuated from all campgrounds, and reservations have been canceled. All park employees have been evacuated from park housing and their homes in the community, most staying in hotels, the park said in a statement on Saturday, July 27.
Park superintendent Rose Worley, who took over leadership for the park three months ago, said employee accountability and the safety and well-being of employees and visitors is her number one priority. Her second goal is to protect the park’s resources and many historic buildings.
“I’d like to commend my staff for their resiliency,” Worley said. “Many of them went through the Dixie Fire, and I have been amazed at their professionalism and strength. We’re also grateful for our concessioner and park partners who have also been impacted by this wildfire.”
The historic district at park headquarters in Mineral in the southwest portion of Lassen Volcanic National Park includes structures built by the California Conservation Corps in the 1930s. On the northwest side of the park is the pristine Manzanita Lake campground and historic district that was spared by the Dixie Fire during the summer of 2021. Staff are scrambling to save historic artifacts stored in the 1927 Loomis Museum.
The Park Fire has burned almost 350,000 acres so far and has grown to become one of the largest wildfires in the history of California.
You can find information about additional restrictions, closures, and other park-specific information on the park’s website and social media platforms.
For the latest information regarding evacuation orders, check the local sheriff’s office’s communication channels or call 211. For information about the fire itself and management of firefighting operations, visit https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2024/7/24/park-fire.
You can see photos of the Park Fire on the CAL FIRE Flickr page.