The U.S. Forest Service ordered hundreds of people gathered at an unsanctioned campground for a “Rainbow Families” celebration, giving them 48 hours to evacuate the Plumas National Forest or face fines or jail time.
The agency issued the order on Wednesday to more than 500 members of the Rainbow Family, which it calls “the largest non-membership organization in the world.” The agency said the group does not have and has not applied for any special use permit required for events of 75 people or more. If they refuse to leave the campground, located about five 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 prison.
The group meets every year during the first week of July at National Forest. The first gathering was held in Denver’s Arapaho National Forest in 1972, according to the Forest Service. The group claims to have no organization and no leader. These gatherings are free and open to the public and include meditation, prayer and silent observation.
Forest Service incident spokesperson Hilary Makin said that based on previous Rainbow Gathering events, the group is leaning toward setting up a camp and kitchen with working ovens, medical stations and a “main grassy area” to gather for meals. said at a virtual meeting on Tuesday.
Makin said the kitchen and oven violated fire regulations. The organization also tends to dig toilet sites and pits for use as compost pits and greywater.
Last year’s event was held in New Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest, and the gathering covered 300 acres and included 23 campsites, Makin said. At its peak, nearly 2,200 people attended.
On July 1, 2006, members of the Rainbow Family arrived in the Routt National Forest north of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, where as many as 20,000 people attended the annual Rainbow Family Reunion.
(Ed Andreski/AP)
This year’s rally in the Plumas National Forest is expected to draw about 10,000 people, and as of Tuesday, it covered 900 acres, officials said.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Incident Management Team Commander Koda Whitt said there was a “zero tolerance” approach to pollution, littering and dumping of waste into waterways and “immediate action” would be taken if such behavior was detected.
“We’re always behind where they’re going next so we can try to take steps on the ground to stop it before it gets too big,” Whitt added.
Makin said law enforcement officers are currently patrolling gathering locations and looking for any public safety concerns.
Immediately after an event, team members typically dismantle the camp’s infrastructure, compact the soil and do their best to restore the forest, Makin said. Some members stayed after the gathering to continue restoring the land.
The Plummer County Sheriff’s Office warned attendees that “there will be a large law enforcement presence” and that it has a “zero tolerance policy for any illegal activity or conduct that threatens public safety or natural resources.”
Residents of Plumas, a city with a population of about 19,000, were told to expect delays and traffic jams as people flocked to the area for parties.
