CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES

1. Amber Jimenez, Jeremiah Hinton, LinetMadeja, Marco Messah, & MytetGumin Dr. Witiw Earth Systems Science CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES

2. Outline of our Presentation • Background • Recent wildfires • Causes • Impacts/Effects: • Biosphere • Lithosphere • Hydrosphere • Atmosphere • PSA – Wildfire Prevention  • Resources

3. California Firestorm 2009 Thousands Run from their Homes • Known for their forest fires, specifically Southern California • Hot dry climate and Santa Ana winds makes it easy for fire to get out of hand Background  Picture of Los Angeles fires in end August 2009. Taken from Universal Studios. http://www.flickr.com/photos/slasher-fun/3873747716/

4. 2009 Wildfires Largest and deadliest: • More than 336,020 acres of land destroyed • August a notable month = 63 wildfires • 1. Lockheed Fire • 2. Station Fire • 3. La Brea Fire Source: California Emergency Management Agency

5. Santa Cruz county • August 12 – August 23 • 7,817 acres burned, 13 structures destroyed • State of emergency was declared • Positive outcome = reproduced plants Lockheed Fire Santa Cruz “Manzanita” http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/arctostaphylos-silvicola-ghostly-manzanita

6. Los Angeles county • August 26 – October 16 • 160,577 acres burned, 209 structures destroyed, 89 homes, 2 killed • Caused by arson • Ranked #10 largest in California history Station Fire (the largest and deadliest of SoCal fires in 2009) This near infra-red image shows the extent of the burned area from the Station Fire. Source: NASA Earth Observatory

7. Santa Barbara county, inside of Las Padres National Forest • August 8 – 22 • 89,489 acres burned, two structures destroyed • Caused by propane stove inside illegal marijuana plantation inside the forest La Brea Fire Progression of the La Brea Fire (Santa Barbara County) through 20 August 2009 Source: US Forest Service http://inciweb.org/incident/maps/large/1803/0/

8. Fire Triangle http://www.borealforest.org/world/innova/forest_fire.htm

9. Winds spread the fires quickly making it harder to control. • Santa Ana Winds • -Easterly wind • -Dry and hot (blows out of the desert) Winds

10. Surface Fire • Spreading along the ground as the surface litter on the forest floor and is surrounded by the spreading flames. •  Crown Fire • Crown of trees and shrubs burn • Forest fire that advances with great speed jumping from crown to crown ahead of the ground fire. Types of Wildfires http://nidm.gov.in/Forest_Fires2.asp

11.  Lightning • Generated by summer thunder storms • responsible for much of the wild fires that occur throughout the Western United States each year • Sparks from falling rocks • Volcanic activity • Spontaneous combustion of plant materials and other organic matter • Drought • Earthquakes • High Temperatures and Low Humidity Natural Causes http://www.coastal.ca.gov/fire/ucsbfire.html

12. 90% of forest fires • Intentional and unintentional • Gatherers of various forest products start small fires • Facilitate gathering of minor forest produce (flowers of Madhucaindicaand leaves of Diospyrosmelanoxylon) • Old practice of shifting cultivation • Use of fires by villagers • Fires lit intentionally by people living around forests • Human Negligence • Campfire sparks • Lighted matches • Cigarettes Human Causes http://library.thinkquest.org/C003603/english/forestfires/causesoffire.shtml

13. http://www.eldoradocountyweather.com/firedanger/forest-fire-causes.gifhttp://www.eldoradocountyweather.com/firedanger/forest-fire-causes.gif

14. The Santa Anas are Southern California’s Katabatic winds • Bring heated air to existing fuel in Southern California, completing the fire triangle. Atmosphere - Katabatic Wind

15. Begins as cool and dry in an elevated area begins to descend as it cools. • Keeping the same moisture content, or relative humidity, the wind increases in temperature at a rate of 29°F per mile. • This now hot wind, • with the same moisture • as when it started, is • funneled through the • narrow Santa Ana • Mountains = greater speed. Atmosphere - Katabatic Wind

16. Relative humidity = amount of water in the air. As the Santa Ana winds descend, they increase in temperature, as their relative humidity remains constant. • If you have 12oz of water in a 12oz cup, the cup’s relative humidity at 100%. • If you have the same 12oz of water in a 24oz cup, the relative humidity would • then be much less. • A lower relative humidity = • better conditions for fire. Atmosphere - Katabatic Wind

17. Without the natural surfaces to interrupt its fall precipitation is much more likely to cause damage. • The damaging precipitation can interact with the Lithosphere, and take the form of mud flows, flash floods, and any combination of several other minor disasters. Hydrosphere

18. Additionally, the water of a recently burned area will be less able to support aquatic life, as it will be plentiful of nutrients such as phosphorous, nitrogen, and potassium which can lead to algal blooms. Hydrosphere

19. Biosphere: Plant Adaptation to Fire • The plants living in areas with constant wildfires often develop protection. • Physical protection • Increased growth after a fire • Using the aftermath of a fire for growth (eliminating the competition)

20. Biosphere: Animal Adaptation to Fire • Bambi… NOT! • Underground • Above ground • On the ground • Taking advantage: looking for food • Fire is a permanent home for some http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/fire/plants.html#n03

21. Biosphere: Human Adaptation to Fire • Smokey Bear • Mobilization of task force to combat fire • Watchtowers • Laws • Become immune to fire

22. Lithosphere: Green Gravy and Erosion • Fertilized land after fire • Wildfires can cause soil erosion if the conditions permit • Lack of plant roots • Rain after the fire http://www.colorado.edu/news/releases/2002/330.html

23. Lithosphere: Hydrophobic Soil • Gasses penetrates the soil • Creates a waxy coating that repels water • Effects: • Increase in water run off • Seeds cannot germinate • Roots of surviving plant can’t get wataaaaaaaaaaaa (water) http://www.ext.colostate.edu/PUBS/natres/06308.html

24. Who is responsible? The federal government is responsible for federal landsLands administrated by the USDA’s US Forest Service and the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, Fish & Wildlife Service, and National Park Service are protected by their respective agencies States are responsible for fire protection on non-federal landLocal governments are responsible for putting out structural fires http://www.forestinfo.org/Products/eco-links/Fire-Eco2.PDF

25. Public Service Announcement Wildfire Prevention • Controlled Fires • Prescribed burns: intentionally setting fire to an area in order to prevent more damaging fires • Clear land for settlements, travel, and agriculture • Control competitive species and prevented overstocking • At least 1.5 million acres per year http://www.forestinfo.org/Products/eco-links/Fire-Eco2.PDF

26. Public Service Announcement Wildfire Prevention Southern California Measures Petroleum/Chemical Schools and Institutions Fire Investigation Codes & Ordinances County Facilities- Interagency Collaboration Fire Sprinkler Plan Check Fire Alarm Checks PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY! http://www.fire.lacounty.gov/FirePrevention/FirePrevention.asp

27. http://www.coastal.ca.gov/fire/ucsbfire.html http://www.oes.ca.gov/WebPage/oeswebsite.nsf/ClientOESFileLibrary/2009_fire/$file/Statewide_Fires_082809_0700_A.jpg http://library.thinkquest.org/C003603/english/forestfires/causesoffire.shtml http://www.borealforest.org/world/innova/forest_fire.htm Resources http://nidm.gov.in/Forest_Fires2.asp http://www.fire.ca.gov/communications/communications_firesafety_wildfireawarenessweek_posters.php http://www.forestinfo.org/Products/eco-links/Fire-Eco2.PDF *Please refer to our additional resources as shown on each individual slide.

28. Questions?