Two California reservoirs have reopened after water officials closed them last week until further notice.
The state’s Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced last week that Pyramid Lake and Castaic Lake—two popular reservoirs in Southern California—had closed after a wildfire came too close to them. The Post Fire has been burning for more than a week. In that time, flames have consumed more than 15,000 acres of land in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
Firefighters now have the blaze 90 percent contained and continue to make progress in suppression efforts, according to a recent update from California’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE).
The firefighting progress has prompted the DWR to reopen the lakes as well as a visitor center in the area.
Castaic Lake, a reservoir 41 miles northwest of Los Angeles, reopened on Wednesday after an evacuation order was lifted in the area, the DWR said. Pyramid Lake, a popular reservoir in the Angeles and Los Padres national forests, reopened on Tuesday, as did the Vista Del Lago Visitor Center.
However, some recreational locations near the lakes remain closed. A DWR spokesperson told Newsweek that the Yellowbar boat-in picnic area at Pyramid Lake was damaged by the fire and “will be closed until repairs are completed.”
Also, the Los Alamos Campground is still closed, according to the most recent DWR update. The DWR said those locations will “remain closed until further notice.”
Thousands of visitors flock to the lakes each year for recreational activities. Approximately 1,000 daily visitors come to Pyramid Lake during peak season. Fires also closed the lake in 2006, 2020 and 2021.
The most recent update for the Post Fire came late Monday night, when the evacuation orders were lifted.
“Firefighters have made significant progress building and reinforcing containment lines around the perimeter of the Post Fire outside of Gorman,” CAL FIRE said in the update.
It continued: “Firefighters will continue to monitor hot spots within the fire, while also focusing on heat and smoke around the perimeter. Suppression repair continues to return the watersheds and recreation areas to pre-fire conditions. Hot and dry weather is forecast to continue through Thursday as are shifting gusty winds.”
On Monday, CAL FIRE transferred command of the fire to the U.S. Forest Service, according to the update, meaning that any forthcoming updates will be issued by the Los Padres National Forest Unit.
As of the most recent update, the Post Fire is the largest wildfire burning in California. The second largest is the Aero Fire in Calaveras County, which has consumed 5,285 acres and is 98 percent contained. Several other fires throughout the state continue to burn as well.
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