Mount San Jacinto State Park reopens Friday

Mount San Jacinto State Park is due to reopen Friday after a closure caused by the now-contained Mountain Fire, which broke out July 15th near Idyllwild.

National Forest areas closed by the fire were reopened on Thursday, officials said.

The Mountain Fire, which was sparked by an electrical malfunction on private property northeast of Idyllwild early on the afternoon of July 15th, was finally fully contained Tuesday, having scorched 27,531 acres and destroyed 23 structures, including seven homes. There were no serious injuries.

The Pacific Crest Trail remains closed from Strawberry Camp/Strawberry Junction to Highway 74 in Garner Valley.

“Forest and park officials plan to re-evaluate the closure areas over the coming weeks to identify other areas that may be eligible to reopen as safety and resource protection concerns are addressed,” U.S. Forest Service spokesman John Miller said.

For more information on Mount San Jacinto State Park, call (951) 569- 2607 or go to www.parks.ca.gov. For more information on National Forest land, call the San Jacinto Ranger District at (909) 382-2921 or go to www.fs.usda.gov/sbnf.