US Forest Service - Sequoia National Forest (CA)
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Contents
Sequoia National Forest (SQF-Forest #13) "Porterville" KMB 7-4-0
On July 1, 1908 Theodore Roosevelt established the Sequoia National Forest from a portion of Sierra Forest Reserve by Presidential Proclamation. Because the Sierra Forest at that time was over six million acres, the Sequoia was administered as a separate unit known then as the Sierra South Reserve. In 1910 President Taft cut off the southern half of the Sierra and proclaimed it the Kern National Forest. Five years later President Woodrow Wilson abolished the Kern Forest, drastically reduced its lands and designated what remained the Sequoia National Forest and now the Forest covers 1,193,315 acres. On April 15, 2000 Bill Clinton, by Presidential Proclamation, created the Giant Sequoia National Monument on two portions of the Sequoia National Forest, totaling 328,000 acres to be administered by the U.S. Forest Service as part of the Forest.
The Sequoia is one of 18 National Forests in California. It takes its name from the giant sequoia, the world's largest tree, which grow in 38 groves on the forest's lower elevation slopes, the greatest concentration of giant sequoia groves in the world.. Protected within the Giant Sequoia National Monument, these groves and the areas around them are managed by the U.S. Forest Service for today and for future generations. The Sequoia's landscape is as spectacular as its trees. Soaring granite monoliths, glacier-carved canyons, roaring whitewater, and more await your discovery at the Sierra Nevada's southern end. Elevations range from 1,000 feet in the foothill region to peaks over 12,000 feet in the rugged high country, providing visitors with some of the most spectacular views of mountainous landscape in the entire west.
The Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) groves are part of this National Forest's 196,000 acres of old growth forests. Additional tree species in the old growth consist of Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi), Red Fir (Abies magnifica), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii), Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), White fir (Abies concolor) and Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta).
The names Sequoia National Forest, Giant Sequoia National Monument, and Sequoia - Kings Canyon National Parks are confusing for people. The National Monument is split in two by Sequoia National Park, the northern portion located on the Hume Lake Ranger District of the Forest, which nearly encloses the Grant Grove Village area of Kings Canyon National Park. The southern portion of the monument is located on the western boundary of the forest just east of the small foothill community of Springville. Who manages which and where, the folks in the grey shirts (NPS) or the people in the khaki shirts (USFS)? Many people don't know of the difference between the two agencies or that they are actually separate agencies. There is also the conception that all National Monuments are managed by the National Park Service. Giant Sequoia National Monument is a monument within a forest and administered by the men and women with the khaki shirts. With all that your scanner hobby has allowed you to be well informed, better than most and certainly not confused.
The Forest is divided into the Western Divide (District 2), the Hume Lake (District 3) and the Kern River (District 4) Ranger Districts with the Forest Supervisor's Office in Porterville, on the east side of the Porterville Airport.
| Western Divide Ranger District #2 | Hume Lake Ranger District #3 | Kern River Ranger District #4 |
|---|---|---|
| Station 21 - Springville | Station 31 - Pinehurst | Station 41 - Blackrock |
| Station 22 - Hot Springs | Station 32 - Lakeshore (Hume Lake) | Station 42 - Kernville (District Office) (Engine 43 also assigned) |
| Station 23 - Peppermint | ||
| Station 24 - Johnsondale | Station 44 - Greenhorn Summit | |
| Station 25 - Scicon | Station 45 - Havilah | |
| Station 46 - Democrat | ||
| Engine 47 - Lake Isabella Rancheria |
RADIO SYSTEM
The Sequoia NF has microwave linked remote base stations at Parkridge Lookout, Jordan Peak Lookout, Sherman Peak, Tobias Peak and Breckenridge Mountain. All of these sites have repeaters as well. The forest has a few UHF frequencies assigned to it, but it is not known how they are used. It has 3 nets, the Emergency Net, the Fire Net and the Admin Net. There are no repeaters on the Admin Net, units use simplex to reach the nearest remote base radio to speak to the Communications Center or a District Ranger Station. The Emergency and Fire Nets can be used in a direct or simplex mode and can be used to reach the Comm Center or a Ranger District Station. The Emergency and Fire Nets each have 13 repeaters. It is unknown how radio traffic is categorized and assigned to each of the repeater nets.
Other
The unit identifier system for non-fire personnel on the Sequoia National Forest is unknown. Before the function name, district number, position number system was prescribed the function numbering was as follows: 1 District Ranger and various positions such as assistant District Ranger, PIO and planning, 3 Recreation, 4 Maintenance, 5 Timber Management, 6 Resources, 7 Timber Pre-Sale, 8 Range and Wildlife and 9 Administrative. The Central California Communications Center in Porterville, located on the west side of the Porterville Airport, provides dispatch services for the Sequoia National Forest; the Bakersfield, Hollister and Mother Lode Field Offices of the Central California District of the BLM; and the Tule Indian Reservation Fire Department. BLM units have a 4 digit identifier that begins with a 3 (California), followed by a 1 (Central California District), followed by the type of apparatus or person; 0 for chiefs, division chiefs, 1 for battalion chiefs, 3 for Type III engines, 4 for Type VI engines, 5 for prevention and misc., 8 for dozers and 9 for water tenders. Tule Indian Reservation Fire Department units have a 2 digit format with the first digit being 9, except for a Type III engine, Engine 392. The identifier for the Center is "Porterville."
Channel Plan
| Channel | Tone(s) | Rx | Tx | Alpha Tag | Description |
| 1 | 8 | 169.9000 | 169.9000 | EmerDir | Emergency Net Direct |
| 2 | 1-14 | 169.9000 | 166.0000 | EmerRpt | Emergency Repeater Net |
| 3 | 8 | 170.5500 | 170.5500 | FireDir | Fire Net Direct |
| 4 | 1-14 | 170.5500 | 165.7000 | FireRpt | Fire Repeater Net |
| 5 | 8 | 168.9625 | 168.9625 | Admin | Admin Net Direct |
| 6 | 169.7250 | 169.7250 | BLM AdmDir | BLM Central CA District Admin Net Direct | |
| 7 | 4,5,8 | 169.7250 | 165.4500 | BLM AdmRpt | BLM Central CA District Admin Repeater |
| 8 | 169.7750 | 169.7750 | BLM FireDir | BLM Central CA District Fire Net Direct | |
| 9 | 2-8 | 169.7750 | 163.0250 | BLM FireRpt | BLM Central CA District Fire Repeater Net |
| ?? | ?? | 172.4000 | 164.1250 | Service | Service Net - unknown if direct channel is used |
Reviewed 6-10-24 (no revisions)
Tones
All repeaters listed are equipped with the Emergency and Fire Nets. It is unknown which are equipped with Service Net. Dispatch and base station contact on the Admin Net, a simplex only net, is provided at the microwave linked remote base stations as noted below. Simplex operation of the Emergency and Fire Nets allows dispatch/base station access though these remote bases as well.
| Tone | Location | CTCSS Tone |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delilah Lookout | 110.9 |
| 2 | Buckrock Lookout | 123.0 |
| 3 | Mule Peak Lookout | 131.8 |
| 4 | Baker Point | 136.5 |
| 5 | Oakflat | 146.2 |
| 6 | Piute BM | 156.7 |
| 7 | Chimney Peak | 167.9 |
| 8 | Jordan Peak Lookout - also a microwave linked remote base | 103.5 |
| 9 | Sherman Peak - also a microwave linked remote base | 100.0 |
| 10 | Tobias Peak - also a microwave linked remote base | 107.2 |
| 11 | Breckenridge - also a microwave linked remote base | 114.8 |
| 12 | Parkridge - also a microwave linked remote base | 127.3 |
| 14 | Olancha | 151.4 |
Tone transmitted on repeater output frequency not available.
Related Links
- National Incident Radio Support Cache - These frequencies are used for large incidents, usually when a Type I or Type II Incident Management Team is assigned. This cache is used for fires, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, visits of high ranking officials, such the U.S. President and the presidents of other countries, large law enforcement incidents, special events and other incidents where the federal government is utilizing the Incident Command System.
Return to DB page: United States Forest Service (CA)
| US Forests in California: | |||||
| Angeles | Inyo | Lassen | Modoc | Sequoia | Six Rivers |
| Cleveland | Klamath | Los Padres | Plumas | Shasta-Trinity | Stanislaus |
| Eldorado | Lake Tahoe BMU | Mendocino | San Bernardino | Sierra | Tahoe |