The Fire Thread

We have been in climate change since Portola first visited Alta California. Before then fire was a normal part of life and the flora was thin and much less dense. After that the Spanish, Mexicans, and Americans used grazing that became king, wiping out the native flora. Then came post WWII when ranches and range become extinct and fires grow to massive size since there is so much scrub to burn. Yes the climate has changed since 1770
Evacuation ORDERS are in place for the following communities:

  • Ponderosa
  • Pyles Boys Camp
  • South Fork
  • Redwood Drive
  • Alpine Village
  • Sequoia Crest
  • Doyle Springs
  • Highway 190 along the south from the intersection of Balch Park Road, north to Blue Ridge Lookout, east to Moses Mountain, and south to Highway 190 at Mahogany Flat
  • Upper Tule River Corridor (Camp Nelson, Pierpoint, Coy Flat, Mountain Aire, and points between)
  • Cedar Slope
  • Silver City
  • Mineral King
 
da big hills said:
We have been in climate change since Portola first visited Alta California. Before then fire was a normal part of life and the flora was thin and much less dense. After that the Spanish, Mexicans, and Americans used grazing that became king, wiping out the native flora. Then came post WWII when ranches and range become extinct and fires grow to massive size since there is so much scrub to burn. Yes the climate has changed since 1770
Evacuation ORDERS are in place for the following communities:

  • Ponderosa
  • Pyles Boys Camp
  • South Fork
  • Redwood Drive
  • Alpine Village
  • Sequoia Crest
  • Doyle Springs
  • Highway 190 along the south from the intersection of Balch Park Road, north to Blue Ridge Lookout, east to Moses Mountain, and south to Highway 190 at Mahogany Flat
  • Upper Tule River Corridor (Camp Nelson, Pierpoint, Coy Flat, Mountain Aire, and points between)
  • Cedar Slope
  • Silver City
  • Mineral King
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Daily updates on Ponderosa, Ca Facebook page.

Looks like no structure losses in Camp Nelson and Ponderosa. Tragic structure losses in Alpine Village and Sequoia Crest
Jordan Peak lookout burned again, quaking aspen campground looks to have been hit. Not sure about Bear Creek trail but looks like fire went through there with dozer activity and active fire fighting operations currently going on in that area.

Thoughts go out to everyone in California that are affected by all of this and kudos to some rather heroic fire fighting efforts going on in so many areas
 
Lost a few more yesterday
Screenshot_20200921-205628__01.jpg


Valley Forge, Kenyon Devore, more Gabrielino.
Red Box threatened, Strawberry too.

Have a great day!:thumbsup:
 
I fear The conifer forests in the SoCal mountains will be gone within our lifetime. Replaced by fast-growing shrub. The fire frequency at any given location is just becoming too great. Yes conifers are Fire-adapted but they evolved with a fire regime of every 20-50 years. for example the San Gorgonio Wilderness;, between the Lake, Valley, Apple, and Eldorado fires almost all of it has burned in just over five years, with the fire scars overlapping. It’s not just climate change: it’s just too much increasing human activity causing too many ignition events.
 
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Sigh....

Historically, going back several hundred to a thousand years or more, 1.5 million acres burned in California on an annual basis. Some of that helped by the native peoples. The forest developed - dare I say evolved - to reproduce by fire. The conifers need it.

What it doesn't need is the 10-fold increase in density which, when fire does happen, burns the trees to the ground and kills them. So yes, 150 years of utter suppression of every fire was a not-good thing. And we still haven't learned to let things be, because people moved in and we just have to protect their homes, don'tcha know.

Look at history and accept that fire is normal and far more necessary than cabins in the forest. We have more now because we've suppressed it too often. The data are out there if you bother to look. I'm not going to spoon-feed you.
 
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hill^billy said:
Sorry amigo, it will never recover. People will just burn it down again and again, forest what forests? Parts of the Station fire burning again, already! What started this fire anyway?
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The section I referenced was set deliberately by the USFS as protective back fires to defend Mt Wilson. Heresy to say but there was only one way those trees were going away and that section needed it.

The poodle dog forests are on the way!
 
Runs with Scissors said:
Sigh....

Historically, going back several hundred to a thousand years or more, 1.5 million acres burned in California on an annual basis. Some of that helped by the native peoples. The forest developed - dare I say evolved - to reproduce by fire. The conifers need it.

What it doesn't need is the 10-fold increase in density which, when fire does happen, burns the trees to the ground and kills them. So yes, 150 years of utter suppression of every fire was a not-good thing. And we still haven't learned to let things be, because people moved in and we just have to protect their homes, don'tcha know.

Look at history and accept that fire is normal and far more necessary than cabins in the forest. We have more now because we've suppressed it too often. The data are out there if you bother to look. I'm not going to spoon-feed you.
Click to expand...

that is all fine but fact remains that the fire season is several months longer due to the climate catastrophe
 
SingleTrackJB said:
that is all fine but fact remains that the fire season is several months longer due to the climate catastrophe
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NOT!!! Look at photos of the forests just from the 20's & 30's. It was a completely different world out there overall. The mismanagement of the forests due to environmentalists and ignorant politicians not allowing logging and clearing/thinning out of ground cover has created these firestorms. That and the fact that we don't hang arsonists by piano wire.
 
SingleTrackJB said:
I don't sat it is irrelevant. All of it is relevant. However the change in climate is a major factor that cannot be denied. Raking the forests is a convenient excuse for ignoring the dramatic change in climate that has already happened and will get worse.
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Raking the forest is not the answer. Managing the fuel load to account for the forest's health is.
 
rossage said:
The section I referenced was set deliberately by the USFS as protective back fires to defend Mt Wilson. Heresy to say but there was only one way those trees were going away and that section needed it.

The poodle dog forests are on the way!
Click to expand...
Daughter’s boyfriend got home last night close to midnight. 18 days straight, capped with a 36 hour last day.
I thought this pic was dramatic

EiU1tEWVoAAlWws-2000x1200.jpg
 
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