CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES

Amber Jimenez, Jeremiah Hinton, Linet Madeja, Marco Messah, & Mytet Gumin

Dr. WitiwEarth Systems Science

1.Background1. Recent wildfires

2.Causes 3.Impacts/Effects:

1. Biosphere 2. Lithosphere3. Hydrosphere4. Atmosphere

4.PSA – Wildfire Prevention

5.Resources

Outline of our Presentation

Background

•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

California Firestorm 2009Thousands Run from their Homes

 Picture of Los Angeles fires in end August 2009. Taken from Universal Studios.http://www.flickr.com/photos/slasher-fun/

3873747716/

Source:California Emergency Management

Agency

2009 Wildfires

• More than 336,020 acres of land destroyed

• August a notable month = 63 wildfires

1. Lockheed Fire

2. Station Fire 3. La Brea Fire

Largest and deadliest:

Lockheed Fire•Santa Cruz county

•August 12 – August 23

•7,817 acres burned, 13 structures destroyed

•State of emergency was declared

•Positive outcome = reproduced plants

Santa Cruz “Manzanita”http://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plants/

arctostaphylos-silvicola-ghostly-manzanita

Station Fire (the largest and deadliest of SoCal fires in 2009)

•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

This near infra-red image shows the extent of the burned area from the

Station Fire.Source: NASA Earth Observatory

La Brea Fire•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

Progression of the La Brea Fire (Santa Barbara County) through 20 August

2009

Source: US Forest Servicehttp://inciweb.org/incident/maps/large/

1803/0/

Fire Triangle

Heat

OxygenFuel

http://www.borealforest.org/world/innova/forest_fire.htm

WindsWinds spread the

fires quickly making it harder to control.

•Santa Ana Winds-Easterly wind-Dry and hot (blows out of

the desert)

Types of Wildfires

http://nidm.gov.in/Forest_Fires2.asp

•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.

Natural Causes

http://www.coastal.ca.gov/fire/ucsbfire.html

• 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

Human Causes•90% of forest fires•Intentional and unintentional

– Gatherers of various forest products start small fires– Facilitate gathering of minor forest produce (flowers

of Madhuca indica and leaves of Diospyros melanoxylon)– 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

http://library.thinkquest.org/C003603/english/forestfires/causesoffire.shtml

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

•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

•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

•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

•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

•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

Biosphere: Plant Adaptation to Fire

The plants living in areas with constant wildfires often develop protection.Physical protectionIncreased growth after a fireUsing the aftermath of a fire for growth

(eliminating the competition)

Biosphere: Animal Adaptation to Fire Bambi… NOT!

UndergroundAbove groundOn the ground

Taking advantage: looking for food Fire is a permanent home for some

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/fire/plants.html#n03

Biosphere: Human Adaptation to Fire

Smokey Bear Mobilization of task force to

combat fire Watchtowers

Laws Become immune to fire

Lithosphere: Green Gravy and Erosion

Fertilized land after fire Wildfires can cause soil erosion if

the conditions permitLack of plant rootsRain after the fire

http://www.colorado.edu/news/releases/2002/330.html

Lithosphere: Hydrophobic Soil

Gasses penetrates the soil Creates a waxy coating that repels

water Effects:

Increase in water run offSeeds cannot germinateRoots of surviving plant can’t get

wataaaaaaaaaaaa (water)

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/PUBS/natres/06308.html

The federal government is responsible for federal lands

Lands 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 land

Local governments are responsible for putting out structural fires

Who is responsible?

http://www.forestinfo.org/Products/eco-links/Fire-Eco2.PDF

Public Service Announcement

Wildfire Prevention

http://www.forestinfo.org/Products/eco-links/Fire-Eco2.PDF

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

Southern California MeasuresPetroleum/Chemical

Schools and InstitutionsFire Investigation

Codes & Ordinances County Facilities- Interagency Collaboration

Fire Sprinkler Plan CheckFire Alarm Checks

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY!

http://www.fire.lacounty.gov/FirePrevention/FirePrevention.asp

Public Service Announcement

Wildfire Prevention

Resourceshttp://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.coastal.ca.gov/fire/ucsbfire.html

http://nidm.gov.in/Forest_Fires2.asp

http://www.borealforest.org/world/innova/forest_fire.htm

*Please refer to our additional resources

as shown on each individual slide.

http://www.fire.ca.gov/communications/communications_firesafety_wildfireawarenessweek_posters.php

http://www.forestinfo.org/Products/eco-links/Fire-Eco2.PDF

Questions?