The U.S. Forest Service ordered hundreds of people gathered for the “Rainbow Family” celebration at an unauthorized campground to vacate the Plumas National Forest within 48 hours or face fines or jail time.
The agency issued the order Wednesday to the more than 500 members of the Rainbow Family, known as the “world's largest nonmember organization.” The group does not have nor has it applied for a special use permit required for any event with 75 or more people, the agency said. If they refuse to leave their campsite, located about 5 miles north of the Antelope Lake Recreation Area, within 48 hours of the order, they could face fines of up to $5,000 or up to six months in jail.
The group holds a meeting each year during the first week of July at various national forests. The first meeting took place in 1972 in the Arapaho National Forest in Denver, according to the Forest Service. The group describes itself as having no organization or leaders. The meetings, which are free and open to the public, involve meditation, prayer and silent observation.
Building on previous events, called “Rainbow Gatherings,” the group tends to set up camps and kitchens, with working ovens, along with medical stations and a “Main Prairie” to gather for meals, said Hilary Markin, a spokeswoman for the Forest Service’s incident management team, in an online meeting Tuesday.
Stoves and ovens are a violation of fire restrictions, Markin said. The group also tends to dig latrines and holes for compost and gray water pits.
During last year's event, which took place in the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire, the gathering covered 300 acres and included 23 campsites, Markin said. Nearly 2,200 people attended during the peak of the event.
Members of the Rainbow Family arrive at the Routt National Forest north of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, on July 1, 2006, where about 20,000 people participated in the annual Rainbow Family gathering.
(Ed Andrieski/Associated Press)
This year's gathering in the Plumas National Forest is expected to draw about 10,000 people and had already reached 900 acres as of Tuesday, officials said.
During Tuesday's meeting, Coda Whitt, commander of the incident management team, said there was “zero tolerance” for pollution, littering and waste in waterways and that “immediate action” would be taken if any were discovered. those actions.
“We're always behind the curve to try to get ahead of what's coming next so we can try to put things in place on the ground and try to stop it before it gets too big,” Whitt added.
Law enforcement officers are currently conducting a sweep of the meeting site and are on the lookout for any public safety concerns, Markin said.
Immediately after the event, group members typically dismantle the camps' infrastructure, decompress the soil and try to restore the forest as best they can, Markin said. Some members stay after the meeting to continue rehabilitating the land.
The Plumas County Sheriff’s Office warned attendees that “there will be a substantial law enforcement presence” to “enforce a zero-tolerance policy toward any illegal activity or behavior that threatens public safety or our natural resources.”
Residents of Plumas, population about 19,000, have been told to expect delays and traffic as people gather in the area for the meeting.
