Lake Hughes

Lake Hughes. Local and Natural History. , The C.C.C. and the Forest Service , The Civilian Conservation Corps was established by President F.D. Roosevelt in 1933 to maintain public lands and provide jobs during the Great Depression. The CCC were active in fire prevention throughout the forest, constructing breaks, trails, roads, and support facilities. Some of their camps still remain. More CCC history can be found inside the Lake Hughes Community Center. , , Elizabeth Lake , Elizabeth Lake is a perennial sag pond that lies atop the San Andreas Fault. The lake can dry out due to extended drought. , , Hughes Lake , This perennial sag pond has been a camping and recreation destination (this photo shows a 1947 family camping trip). , , Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) , The renowned Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail (PCT) runs 2,650 miles from the Mexican border to the Canadian border. , , The main wash that fed Lake Hughes was redirected in the 1960s to control devastating floods that threatened the community. In 2013 water from the lake was used to help put out the Powerhouse Fire. These circumstances, but especially the historic drought from 2013 onward led to the lake drying out. , , The 2013 Powerhouse Fire , The Powerhouse Fire started on May 30, 2013, near Power House 1 in San Francisquito Canyon. It spread north toward the communities of Elizabeth Lake and Lake Hughes. Fire containment efforts were led by the U.S. Forest Service, L.A. County firefighters, and CalFire. The fire burned 30,274 acres (47.3 square miles) of brush and forest, and 30 homes were declared total losses, with another 28 outbuildings destroyed. , , Erratic winds made it difficult to contain or suppress the fire, forcing several thousand residents to evacuate. The fire resulted in extensive damage to native ecosystems, including coastal sage chaparral and riparian vegetation. The loss of plants accelerated erosion, increasing the potential for landslides. , , The Angeles National Forest is the ancestral and traditional homelands of the Fernandeño Tatavium Band of Mission Indians (Tatavium), Ventureño Chumash (Chumash), Gabrielino Tongva San Gabriel Band of Mission Indians (Tongva), Gabrielino Kizh (Kizh), Tejon Indian Tribe (Kitanemuk), and San Manuel Band of Mission Indians (Serrano). These tribes have maintained and continue their connection and relationship with these lands to this day.