Florida Forest Service - Blackwater Forestry Center

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Florida Forest Service - Blackwater Forestry Center The Florida Forest Service - Blackwater Forestry Center serves Escambia, Santa Rosa,Okaloosa counties This page is not always monitored.

Official page for the Florida Forest Service – Blackwater Forestry Center. In case of an emergency, please call 911!

🌲🚨Blackwater River State Forest Update 🚨🌲Effective October 23, 2026, all campgrounds that were closed due to Hurricane I...
10/26/2026

🌲🚨Blackwater River State Forest Update 🚨🌲

Effective October 23, 2026, all campgrounds that were closed due to Hurricane Isaias have reopened except for Coldwater Equestrian Campground and Clear Creek Campground. The Bear Lake Mountain Bike Trail, Karick Lake Loop Trail, the Camp Paquette Trail, and the Bone Creek Recreation Area have reopened for normal use. All other trails and Recreation Areas remain closed as debris removal and cleanup efforts continue to completion. Once areas have been cleared of debris and deemed safe, they will reopen for normal use. We apologize for any inconvenience.

🌲🚨Blackwater River State Forest Update 🚨🌲Effective October 21, 2026, all campgrounds that were closed due to Hurricane I...
10/21/2026

🌲🚨Blackwater River State Forest Update 🚨🌲

Effective October 21, 2026, all campgrounds that were closed due to Hurricane Isaias have reopened except for Coldwater Equestrian Campground and Clear Creek Campground. The Bear Lake Mountain Bike Trail, Karick Lake Loop Trail, and the Camp Paquette Trail have reopened for normal use. All other trails and Recreation Areas remain closed as debris removal and cleanup efforts continue this week. Once areas have been cleared of debris and deemed safe, they will reopen for normal use. We apologize for any inconvenience.

🚨 UPDATE October 20, 2026🚨Coldwater horse stables and Clear Creek remain closed. Effective October 20, 2026, all campgro...
10/19/2026

🚨 UPDATE October 20, 2026🚨

Coldwater horse stables and Clear Creek remain closed.

Effective October 20, 2026, all campgrounds that were closed due to Hurricane Isaias have reopened except for Coldwater Equestrian Campground and Clear Creek Campground.

Further, with the exception of the Krul Boardwalk Trail, all other trails and Recreation Areas remain closed as debris removal and cleanup efforts continue this week. Once areas have been cleared of debris and deemed safe, they will reopen for normal use. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Pending damage assessments, the Florida Forest Service anticipates reopening these areas as soon as possible. Refunds will be issued automatically for reservations during the closures. For reservation questions, visit FloridaStateForests.ReserveAmerica.com or call (877) 879-3859.

Residents urged to refrain from burning hurricane debrisWhile there are no burn bans in place within the Hurricane Isaia...
10/16/2026

Residents urged to refrain from burning hurricane debris

While there are no burn bans in place within the Hurricane Isaias impact area, residents are being asked to NOT BURN yard debris at this time for a number of reasons:

👮IT’S ILLEGAL: Burning of leaves, limbs and other yard trash is always prohibited within the City of Pensacola - Government, City of Gulf Breeze, City of Milton Florida and the City of Niceville regardless of emergency status.

📏DOESN’T MEET SETBACKS: Much of the impacted area is high density residential and cannot meet the required setbacks if not already prohibited by local ordinances. Those setbacks are that the pile must be less than 8 feet in diameter, 25 feet away from your home and the woodline or other combustible structure such as a fence or shed, 50 feet away from a paved public road and 150 feet from the nearest occupied building.

🚫NO AUTHORIZATIONS: The Florida Forest Service Blackwater Forestry Center is not authorizing acreage or large pile burns at this time.

🕰️NOT THE RIGHT TIME: Even if you were to meet all the requirements needed for small burn piles, many of our neighbors are either without power or working outside to clean up their homes and yards and the smoke is an unnecessary nuisance. Fresh, “green” wood creates very dense smoke and does not burn well and will only make a bad situation worse.

🍃WEATHER CONCERNS: High winds are forecast through the weekend and could make burning safely a challenge.

Florida Forest Service firefighters and other personnel are working alongside our emergency partners to help return our area to normal and this is not the time to add to the workload of firefighters and first responders or the stress of your neighbors.

Please place all vegetative debris at the roadside and utilize the county-contracted pickup services that are available.

Santa Rosa County Emergency Management
Escambia County
Escambia County Fire Rescue

Unfortunately because of the impact of Hurricane Isaias, the third and final leg of the Backwoods Triple Crown Archery S...
10/16/2026

Unfortunately because of the impact of Hurricane Isaias, the third and final leg of the Backwoods Triple Crown Archery Series benefitting Operation Outdoor Freedom has been cancelled.
We want to congratulate the winners list below and thank all of the participants that joined us in the two events we were able to put on.
We look forward to seeing you on the range next year and will reach out to the winner so get them their championship buckles!

Winners
Event 1 Event 2 Final Total
Men
Wesley Clark 206 210 416
Myles Colley 210 188 398
Trey Locklin 207 187 394
Women
Temeka Ates 193 174 367
Gracie Edwards 196 152 348
Stephanie Cofield 116 128 244
Youth
Nathan Cain 214 190 404
Gage Clark 187 161 348
Berkley Coffield 162 161 323
Traditional
Levy Bryant 175 172 347
Casey Weston 189 141 330
Steve Cosby 177 142 319

🚨 UPDATE 🚨Effective Oct. 12, 2026, at 5 p.m., all campgrounds and recreation areas on the following State Forests are cl...
10/15/2026

🚨 UPDATE 🚨

Effective Oct. 12, 2026, at 5 p.m., all campgrounds and recreation areas on the following State Forests are closed due to Hurricane Isaias.

Pending damage assessments, the Florida Forest Service anticipates reopening these areas as soon as possible. Refunds will be issued automatically for reservations during the closures. For reservation questions, visit FloridaStateForests.ReserveAmerica.com or call (877) 879-3859.

🪚 Crews Responding to Hurricane Impact 🪚Florida Forest Service personnel are working to help clear areas impacted this p...
10/15/2026

🪚 Crews Responding to Hurricane Impact 🪚

Florida Forest Service personnel are working to help clear areas impacted this past week by Hurricane Isaias, including removing debris from roads and critical infrastructure to aid residents and cooperating agencies.

Seven chainsaw strike teams are in the field, five in the Blackwater District and two in the neighboring Chipola District, after the Category 2 hurricane made landfall in Okaloosa County on Oct. 9.

Hardest hit was the Blackwater District, which encompasses Blackwater River State Forest and the state’s three westernmost counties – Escambia, Okaloosa, and Santa Rosa. Initial focus has been on helping clear access for emergency services and recovery efforts while work has started on assessments and repairs to the more than 225,000 acres of Blackwater River State Forest, including its roads, trails and recreation areas.

Approximately 150 FFS personnel and dozens of skid-steer loaders are in the field working throughout the impact area. Strike teams will average at least four chainsaws, along with debris handlers, leaders, and equipment operators.

🔥 Be Aware When Burning Hurricane Debris 🔥The Florida Forest Service is asking Floridians in areas impacted by Hurricane...
10/11/2026

🔥 Be Aware When Burning Hurricane Debris 🔥

The Florida Forest Service is asking Floridians in areas impacted by Hurricane Isaias to use caution when burning debris piles. Since smoke can travel great distances, be mindful of your neighbors as many are still without power and most homes have open windows.

Burn piles must be less than 8 feet in diameter, extinguished one hour before sunset, and there are required setbacks from your house, forests, and roads.

To learn more, visit BeWildfireReadyFL.com.

Effective Oct. 8, 2026, at 9 a.m., all campgrounds and recreation areas on the following State Forests are closed due to...
10/08/2026

Effective Oct. 8, 2026, at 9 a.m., all campgrounds and recreation areas on the following State Forests are closed due to Hurricane Isaias.

Additional State Forests might be closed depending upon the storm’s path.

Pending damage assessments, the Florida Forest Service anticipates reopening these areas as soon as possible. Refunds will be issued automatically for reservations during the closures. For reservation questions, visit FloridaStateForests.ReserveAmerica.com or call (877) 879-3859.

RESCHEDULED: The third round of the Backwoods Triple Crown Archery Series has been tentatively moved back one week becau...
10/07/2026

RESCHEDULED: The third round of the Backwoods Triple Crown Archery Series has been tentatively moved back one week because of potential impacts of the approaching storm system.
Barring major complications, the shoot will be held Saturday, Oct. 17 with registration begininng at 8 a.m. and the shoot at roughly 9 a.m.

Address

11650 Munson Highway
Milton, FL
32570

Opening Hours

Monday 7am - 4pm
Tuesday 7am - 4pm
Wednesday 7am - 4pm
Thursday 7am - 4pm
Friday 7am - 4pm
Saturday 7am - 4pm
Sunday 7am - 4pm

Telephone

+18509575701

Website

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