Difference between revisions of "Fire issues in California's Central Coast Region"

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Typical dry, hot conditions on the Central Coast during late spring, summer, and fall contribute to fire risk. In August, it is not atypical for [[Santa Ana winds]] to fan, and therefore spread, active fires.<ref>[http://ulmo.ucmerced.edu/pdffiles/04eos_westerling.pdf Westerling AL, Cayan DR, Brown TJ, Hall BL, Riddle LG. 2004. Climate, Santa Ana winds and autumn wildfires in southern California. Eos, 85(31):289-296.]</ref>
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Typical dry, hot conditions on the Central Coast during late spring, summer, and fall contribute to fire risk. In August, it is not atypical for [[Santa Ana winds]] to fan and spread active fires.<ref>[http://ulmo.ucmerced.edu/pdffiles/04eos_westerling.pdf Westerling AL, Cayan DR, Brown TJ, Hall BL, Riddle LG. 2004. Climate, Santa Ana winds and autumn wildfires in southern California. Eos, 85(31):289-296.]</ref>
  
 
== Location and Stakeholders==
 
== Location and Stakeholders==

Revision as of 21:49, 4 April 2017

Note: This page is currently under construction (4/4/17)

A watershed-related topic examined by the ENVS 560/L Watershed Systems class at CSUMB. This page gives a brief history of the major wildfires that have affected the Central Coast since 1950, and strives to portray the benefits and challenges wildfire presents to the people and ecosystems of the region.

Summary

The various ecosystems that comprise the central California landscape have adapted to fire over time.[1][2] As California's population grows, urban expansion into natural areas is becoming more commonplace, creating a higher risk to human life and infrastructure in the event of wildfire. Historically, lightning fires and purposeful ignitions by indigenous tribes ensured rather frequent fires of low to moderate severity.[3] Years of fire suppression, coupled with prolonged drought conditions, however, have changed the fire regime on the Central Coast,[4] yielding a greater challenge when it comes to mitigating fire damage to both ecosystems and human infrastructure.


Typical dry, hot conditions on the Central Coast during late spring, summer, and fall contribute to fire risk. In August, it is not atypical for Santa Ana winds to fan and spread active fires.[5]

Location and Stakeholders

Image 1. Public land distribution in Central Coastal California. Copyright Interactive Outdoors, Inc.[1]

Wildfires in the Central Coast Region occur on both private and public land (Image 1). Due to the close proximity of different land jurisdictions in the area, fire management often involves multiple agencies including but not limited to: the Forest Service, CalFire, California State Parks, Bureau of Land Management, individual counties, volunteer fire brigades, and other entities that manage open space or rural areas.

Ecological Benefits of Fire

Resources at stake

Cost to taxpayers Ecological: Human: loss in tourism, tourism brings in how much revenue per year

Past Fires and their Impacts on the Region

Laws, policies, & regulations

Aid from county budgets. State of emergency funding from State of Federal sources.

...What laws, policies, and/or regulations are involved?...

Future research

...What scientific studies are or would be relevant / already completed?.. ...What analytical (e.g. modeling) tools were or could be used?.. ...What knowledge gaps remain?...

...Suggest a CWSP MS thesis topic that could contribute to the issue...

...Suggest a topic for a hypothetical study that had unlimited resources...

References

  1. Stephens SL, Fry DL. 2005. Fire history in coast redwood stands in the northeastern Santa Cruz Mountains, California. Fire Ecology,1(1):2-19.
  2. (USFS)Fried JS, Bollinger CL, Beardsley D. 2004. Chaparral in southern and central coastal California in the mid-1990s: area, ownership, condition, and change. PNW-RB-240. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 86 p.
  3. Keeley JE. 2002. Native American impacts on fire regimes of the California coastal ranges. Journal of Biogeography, 29(3):303-320.
  4. Greenlee JM, Langenheim JH. 1990. Historic fire regimes and their relation to vegetation patterns in the Monterey Bay Area of California. The American Midland Naturalist 124(2):239-53. doi:10.2307/2426173.
  5. Westerling AL, Cayan DR, Brown TJ, Hall BL, Riddle LG. 2004. Climate, Santa Ana winds and autumn wildfires in southern California. Eos, 85(31):289-296.

Disclaimer

This page contains student work completed as part of assigned coursework. It may not be accurate. It does not necessary reflect the opinion or policy of CSUMB, its staff, or students.