[BULK] - Re: [BULK] - [pct-l] So. Calif Forests to Close until Rain?

[eyakel at earthlink.net (eyakel@earthlink.net)]

I think that sounds about right.  Payback is a bitch.
                                the  other ERIC

-----Original Message-----
From: Eric <radpin@gmail.com>
Sent: Sep 24, 2004 11:06 AM
To: Mike Saenz <msaenz@mve-architects.com>
Cc: pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [BULK] - Re: [BULK] - [pct-l] So. Calif Forests to Close until	Rain?

Although not really trail discussion, I was hoping some of the others
might be able to shed some light on this for me. In the chapperal
areas around here, and the regions like it, everything is supposed to
burn every five years or so. It's just the way the desert does things.
Even certain seeds can only germinate when hit by flame, etc. Because
of the lack of moisture, rotting doesn't happen, so fire is the only
way to return dead material back to the soil.

>From what I remember, if things were left alone, something like this
happens: Because the fires move through every few years, there isn't
that much dead material, so the fires aren't that intense. They are
more regional, lack the heat and staying power to ignite most living
plants, and are over fairly quickly. This also means that at any given
time after a fire, there are still a wide variety of plants left in
all cycles and stages of life.

With our fire prevention methods, we effectively allow dead material
to accumulate, trees to mature and dry out, and massive fires like the
ones last year to gut the wilderness. Also, because the fires have so
much fuel, they burn living trees as well. When these "super fires"
burn, they destroy massive amounts of plants (and animals).

Are there are any forestry or fire professionals out there that can
shed some light on these, and tell me how far off the mark I am?

Eric
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