Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI), the largest private landowner in California, announced that it closed all of its California and Oregon forestlands to public access beginning Monday, June 22, 2026, because of elevated wildfire danger. The company says the closure will remain in effect until further notice, with public roads crossing SPI property remaining open but all walk-in recreational access prohibited.
For California hunters, this is one of the most significant annual access restrictions of the year.
Millions of acres commonly used by hunters
SPI owns and manages more than 2.4 million acres of timberland across California, Oregon and Washington, including over 1.9 million acres in Northern California. Much of this land is typically open free of charge for responsible public recreation, including hunting, fishing, hiking and horseback riding, making it one of the largest blocks of privately owned hunting access in the western United States. Washington SPI lands remain open under the company’s normal recreation policy.
Many California hunters rely on SPI lands for:
- Summer scouting for deer and bear
- Wild pig hunting in some regions
- Predator hunting
- Early-season archery deer hunting
- Access routes into adjacent public lands
Because many SPI roads also provide access to nearby National Forests and other public lands, closures can make reaching some public hunting areas much more difficult, even where the public land itself remains open.
Why SPI closes its lands
According to the company, the decision is based on multiple wildfire risk indicators, including:
- Dry vegetation
- Low fuel moisture
- Rising temperatures
- Long-range weather forecasts
SPI says it continues extensive wildfire prevention work, including fuel breaks, vegetation reduction projects and aggressive fire suppression efforts throughout fire season.
The company wrote:
“SPI considers various wildfire risk factors when closing its lands to public access, including dry vegetation, low moisture levels, rising temperatures and long-range weather forecasts for the region.”
A yearly reality for California hunters
Unfortunately for hunters, these closures have become almost an annual occurrence.
SPI imposed similar statewide wildfire closures during:
- 2022, before reopening in late September following early fall rains.
- 2024, with closures beginning June 28.
- 2025, with California lands closing July 1 before reopening on October 2 after fire conditions improved.
In recent years, reopening has generally occurred in late September or early October, although the exact timing depends entirely on weather and wildfire conditions.
That timing matters.
Many California deer seasons begin in late summer and continue through September and October, meaning closures can affect scouting, preseason preparation and even portions of several deer seasons. While later-season hunts in October and November often benefit from reopenings, early archery and rifle hunters can lose access during some of the most important weeks of the season.
Hunters understand, but still feel the impact
Many California hunters recognize the wildfire risk and understand why timber companies take these precautions. Preventing a single human-caused wildfire protects forests, wildlife habitat and nearby communities.
At the same time, the closures can force hunters to quickly change plans, shift to more crowded public lands or abandon scouting areas they have hunted for years.
Comments on SPI’s announcement reflected both perspectives. One supporter thanked the company, writing:
“Thank you for giving us access to your forests! And sustainable forestry practices.”
Across hunting forums and social media, however, many hunters have expressed disappointment whenever annual closures occur, noting that losing access to private timberlands increases hunting pressure elsewhere and limits opportunities during the summer scouting period. While many acknowledge the need for fire prevention, they also hope the lands can reopen before the heart of California’s deer seasons if weather conditions improve.
What hunters should know
The closure currently applies to:
- All SPI forestlands in California
- All SPI forestlands in Oregon
Washington SPI lands remain open under normal recreation policies.
Hunters should also remember that:
- Public highways crossing SPI property remain open.
- Walk-in access is not allowed during the closure.
- Some federal roads crossing SPI ownership may remain accessible where designated for public use.
- Additional localized closures may remain in effect even after statewide reopening because of logging operations or wildfire recovery.
California hunters planning summer scouting trips or preparing for the 2026 deer season should verify land access before traveling and be prepared with alternate hunting locations if wildfire restrictions remain in place.
Plan Your Backup Hunting Spots with Hunterizer
With access to millions of acres of SPI timberlands temporarily closed, having alternative hunting locations has never been more important. The Hunterizer app helps California hunters quickly see what they can hunt today anywhere in the state, view season dates, zone boundaries, legal hunting methods, shooting hours, hunter orange requirements, license and tag requirements, and after-harvest rules. Whether you’re looking for a new public-land opportunity or adjusting your plans because of wildfire closures, Hunterizer makes it easy to stay legal and spend more time hunting.
