Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/92471
Lassen winter landscapes ward to winter as the autumn season comes to an end," said Lassen Vol- canic National Park Superintendent Darlene Koontz. "Lassen Volcanic National Park offers unparalleled opportunities for winter recreation. We will reopen the park road during these times of pass- ing storms when possible, but soon the park road will be snow-covered and open for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing." "We are looking for- Thursday, November 8, 2012 – Daily News 5A November is California Carbon Monoxide Awareness Month November is Carbon Monoxide Awareness month and CalFire is reminding all residents of the importance of having a working carbon monoxide alarm. State law requires owners of single family homes with attached garages or fossil fuel sources for heating to install carbon monoxide alarms in every California home. In addition, all other dwelling units, like apart- ments, are required to have an alarm by Jan. 1, 2013. "Carbon monoxide is a silent killer, each year claim- The park road is open to the Devastated Area from the north entrance and to Sulphur Works from the south entrance. For the status of the road, contact the park or visit the park website. Beginning Dec. 22 through April 7, ranger- led snowshoe walks for the general public leave from the Kohm Yah-mah- nee Visitor Center on Sat- urdays and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. Rangers will also lead more challeng- ing snowshoe hikes to Ridge Lakes on select dates, available by reser- vation only. Also look for exciting events at the park this winter including fee- free Veteran's Day Week- end Nov. 10-12, the annu- al Lassen Film Festival ing the lives of an average of 480 people and sending more than 20,000 people to emergency rooms across the nation." said State Fire Marshal Tonya Hoover, Cal- Fire-Office of the State Fire Marshal. from Jan. 19-20, and win- ter astronomy events. The Kohm Yah-mah- nee Visitor Center is open year-round with winter hours beginning Nov. 1, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Tues- days and Wednesdays. The visitor center is closed in observance of Thanksgiving and Christ- mas. The Loomis Muse- um closes its doors for the season on Oct. 31. Lassen Volcanic National Park is also are available from the Men- docino National Forest for the 2012 holiday season. Permits are available for purchase in person or by mail from Mendocino National Forest offices, as well as at area vendors. Ven- dors are listed below with contact information for the Forest Service. at Forest Service offices. Customers are advised to call vendors to verify permit price and availability. The permits will be sold at For- est Service offices through Saturday Dec. 22. Trees may be cut and removed any day of the week in authorized areas of the Mendocino National Forest. Please check current Forest fire closure areas in case your annual tree cutting spot is within the closure. There is a limit of one permit per household, with each permit using a valid name and address. Up to four additional permits may be purchased for additional households, using separate names and addresses. Indi- viduals must be 18 or older to purchase a permit. The Mendocino National Forest only accepts cash or check as payment for Christmas tree permits and sales are final, with no refunds. Per- mittees will receive a tree tag and Forest map. To purchase a permit by mail, send a printed name Permits are $10 per tree and mailing address for each permit purchased, a daytime telephone number, and a check or money order made out to "USDA Forest Service" for $10 for each permit to either the Wil- lows, Stonyford, Upper Lake or Covelo offices with "Christmas Tree Permit" written on the outside of the envelope. Mail-in requests received after Dec. 14 will not be filled. A form can be found online at www.fs.usda.gov/main/me ndocino/passes- permits/forestproducts under "Christmas Tree Per- mits." If you are planning on cutting a Christmas tree for someone who isn't present, a Third Party Authorization must be in the possession of the cutter. This form is also available on the Forest web- site and should be complet- ed prior to leaving for the forest. aware that federal and state quarantines to prevent the spread of sudden oak death (SOD) are in effect for Lake and Mendocino Counties. Any Christmas tree cut in these counties can only be transported into other SOD quarantine counties, includ- ing Alameda, Contra Costa, Humboldt, Marin, San Francisco, Monterey, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano and Sonoma. Permit holders should be All Mendocino National pleased to announce that last fall, with assistance from Caltrans, four new highway signs were installed in surrounding communities to inform travelers about the park road status. During the fall, when rapidly chang- ing weather requires tem- porary road closures, signs will help alert trav- elers prior to their arrival. Signs are located at the following highway junc- tions: 36 / 99 near Red Bluff; 36 / 89 near Forest offices will be closed Thursday, Nov. 22 in obser- vance of Thanksgiving. Christmas tree permits can be purchased for $10 from the Paskenta Work Station, 13280 Paskenta Road, Paskenta, 96074. The phone number is 833-5544 and hours for Saturday, Dec. 8 and 15 only are 9 a.m.- noon, 12:30-3 p.m. availability for permits at the Sacramento River Dis- covery Center, which has 50 permits available at 1000 Sale Lane, Red Bluff. The center is open 11 a.m.-4 p.m Tuesday-Saturday. The number is 527-1196. Following are some tips Please call for prices and to make your experience more enjoyable. • Plan your trip – check the weather, bring plenty of warm clothes, water, emer- gency food, tire chains, shovel, a saw or axe to cut your tree, and a tarp and rope to bring it home. Make sure you have a full tank of gas when you leave and are prepared for changing con- ditions in the mountains! Also, let someone know where you are going and when you plan to be back. • Keep vehicles on desig- nated roads and be aware of Chester; 89 / 44 near Old Station; approximately 10 miles east of Interstate 5 on 44 near Millville. Visitors traveling to the park should be prepared for winter weather and driving conditions. Carry tire chains in your vehicle from October through May, along with extra food, water, and blankets. For more information, call the park at (530) 595- 4480 or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/lavo. Mendocino National Forest Christmas tree permits on sale Christmas tree permits changing weather and road conditions. Wet dirt roads can quickly turn to mud, making it possible to get stuck and causing damage to road, soil and water resources. If there are pud- dles in the road, mud flip- ping off the tires or you can see your ruts in the rearview mirror, consider pulling over and taking a hike to look for a tree, or turning around and finding a differ- ent area to cut your tree. • Cut your tree early in the season before favorite cutting areas can't be reached because of snow. • Make sure you are cut- ting a tree on approved areas on the Mendocino National Forest and not from other federal, state or private lands. • Cut the tree as close as possible to the ground and leave as little of a stump as possible. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas that is produced from heaters, fireplaces, furnaces, and many types of appliances and cooking devices. The best way for homeowners to stay protected from CO is to have a carbon monoxide alarm installed on every floor and outside each sleeping area. A recent study found that nearly nine in 10 California households did not have a CO alarm. "Having a CO alarm is a small investment that real- ly can help save your life and the lives of your family," Hoover said. California's Carbon Monoxide Month is intended to help educate homeowners about the law and to encour- age them to install a carbon monoxide alarm. CalFire Office of the State Fire Marshal is teaming up with fire departments across the state, as well as other State agencies to spread the word about the dangers of CO and how to keep your family and friends safe. As the cooler weather moves into California and the use of fossil fuel heating increases, now is the time to be aware of the dangers of CO and how you can prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. For more information on carbon monoxide visit www.fire.ca.gov or visit the website for the California Department of Public Health at www.cdph.ca.gov. Date set for Chips Fire impacts meeting al Forest will be hosting a public meeting and field review on Wednesday, Nov. 14. This is a rescheduling of the previously cancelled event. Representatives of the Almanor Ranger District (ALRD) will be reviewing the impacts of the Chips Fire to public lands within the Lassen National Forest boundaries. Resource specialists will be available to discuss possible activities and timeframes. One of the management activities that the ALRD anticipates is the removal of danger trees along roads within the Chips Fire perimeter. To preview hazard tree marking guidelines, the Chips Fire Rapid Assessment and pre-treatment maps see "Chips Fire Impacts" under Quick Links at www.fs.usda.gov/lassen. As part of the meeting, discussion will include what constitutes a danger tree in the aftermath of the fire. A field tour is being offered to review how the danger tree marking guidelines are being applied along the roads within the Chips Fire perimeter. The Almanor Ranger District of the Lassen Nation- The meeting will be 9:30-11:30 a.m. at the Almanor Ranger District Office, 900 E. Highway 36, Chester and noon to 4 p.m. in the field. The meeting at the District office will take place • Attach the permit on the tree where it will be eas- ily visible with the tree packed or tied on your vehi- cle for transport home. • To help keep your tree fresh, cut one inch off the base and stand the tree in a container of water in a cool, shaded area, checking the water level daily. even if field conditions do not allow for the tour por- tion. Tour participants will meet at the Almanor Ranger District office located across from the Chester Airbase. Some travel will occur on gravel roads so SUVs or high-clearance vehicles will be necessary, and carpool- ing is encouraged to keep the number of vehicles to a minimum. Participants should dress in layers for possi- ble cool weather, bring water and lunch, and wear foot gear to walk on uneven terrain. Let District personnel know that you will be attend- ing this meeting by calling Blair Halbrooks at 530-258- 2141 or by sending an email to bhalbrooks@fs.fed.us. When you RSVP for the meeting, leave contact infor- mation in case of a weather-driven cancellation. Professional Personal Convenient • Premium Digital Ask about our Open Fit Technology Discreet and Comfortable Hearing Aids for every budget • FREE hearing evaluations Community Center 1500 So. 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