Campgrounds in Jackson Demonstration State Forest are set to reopen in the coming days, welcoming campers back to the peaceful, redwood-shaded sites they’ve long enjoyed. But after an unusual string of thefts and illegal squatting last year, CAL FIRE is implementing new measures to protect the land—and the fees that help maintain it.
The forest's campgrounds are first-come, first-served and self-registered through metal payment boxes known as “iron rangers.” Last season, a persistant thief (or thieves) repeatedly targeted the devices, using homemade tools to fish envelopes of camping fees out of the locked boxes under cover of night.
“It was frustrating,” said Erik Wahl, CAL FIRE’s recreation and roads manager. “Law enforcement was aware of the issue, and we did our best to patrol the areas, but we were unfortunately unsuccessful in capturing anybody in the act.”
Campers deposit their fees in narrow slots leading to reinforced steel containers, intended to be tamper-proof. But the thief apparently fashioned rudimentary devices to lift the cash-filled envelopes back out.
In response, CAL FIRE staff reinforced the boxes with welded steel inserts designed to block the retrieval method. It’s not pretty, but CAL FIRE hopes it will get the job done. CAL FIRE’s equipment operators, who typically maintain heavy machinery, were enlisted to fabricate and install the upgrades.
The fee thefts weren’t the only disruption last year. CAL FIRE also uncovered a squatter encampment deep in the forest that had gone undetected for several months. By the time it was discovered, the group had set up trailers, multiple vehicles, a four-wheeler and built up large piles of debris and trash.
“They had established themselves quite well,” Wahl said. “There was a camper shell, three vehicles, and a significant amount of fallen trees and metal.” The encampment violated forest regulations and caused environmental damage. Cleanup required an excavator and five full dump truck loads—an estimated 40 cubic yards of debris hauled to the Caspar transfer station.
Despite the challenges, CAL FIRE is hopeful that increased patrols and new preventative measures will help ensure a safe, quiet camping season. Depending on the weather, campgrounds are typically open to visitors after Memorial Day.
