As the Dixie Fire continues to grow in size, ravaging areas of Plumas, Lassen, Butte and Tehama counties, many UC Berkeley Forestry alums have reached out to staff and faculty at the Rausser College of Natural Resources for an update about the safety of Forestry Camp and the students who are attending camp this summer. In late July, the Dixie Fire was advancing towards Meadow Valley - threatening homes and structures in the area. Evacuation orders were put in place for Meadow Valley, at which time students at UC Berkeley's Forestry Camp evacuated to the Plumas County Fairgrounds in Quincy. Shortly thereafter, students were moved to the Berkeley Forests facilities at Blodgett Forest Research Station, where they will spend the remainder of camp due.
As of 8/11/2021, Inciweb showed the fire edge near camp as "Contained", and at this time there is no immediate threat of fire to UC Berkeley Forestry Camp as the fire is moving primarily to the north and east (away from camp). The evacuation order for Meadow Valley has been lifted, however students will remain at Blodgett Forest Research Station due to air quality concerns and road closures in the area.
Forestry Camp and the communities that surround and support it are very special places to many of our Forestry alums, and to Forestry staff and faculty at UC Berkeley. We hoop soon to share with the Cal Forestry community ways in which we can support those in Plumas County who were impacted by the fire.