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Amber Jimenez, Jeremiah Hinton, Linet Madeja , Marco Messah , & Mytet Gumin Dr. Witiw Earth Systems Science. CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES. Outline of our Presentation. Background Recent wildfires Causes Impacts/Effects: Biosphere Lithosphere Hydrosphere Atmosphere - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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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?