~B~

I understand all too well about hating to cry. I just hope the tears are healing tears. And you are very welcome.

B

Check out the following California Chaparral Institute website links for more info. Each section is brief, but covers some essential points about wildfires often missed by the public and gov’t agencies. The founder of the CCI is a well-respected fire ecologist and former firefighter, Richard Halsey. He cites accurate scientific data and fire history. One of the greatest problems we face is a general misunderstanding about chaparral and fire. We also fail to recognize the consequences of housing tract build-out at the urban-wildland interface, unscientific fire suppression policies, bad fire management, and poor follow-on policies after fires. Bad fire policy is often generated out the need to deflect guilt, a fear of future fires and the need to placate an angry populace, and with political motives instead of a basis in good science. It is critical for the future that more of us attempt to comprehend the complexity of what has really happened, so we can make informed decisions and evaluate agency actions. Read the following to learn more:

Chaparral Facts:
http://www.californiachaparral.com/chaparralfacts.html

Chaparral Myths:
http://www.californiachaparral.com/chaparralmyths.html

Fire & Nature:
http://www.californiachaparral.com/firenature.html

California Ugly:
http://www.californiachaparral.com/acaliforniaugly.html

About the Station Fire:
http://www.californiachaparral.com/2009fireinlacounty.html

Impact of Fire on Human Communities:
http://www.californiachaparral.com/dthehumanhabitat.html

What is appropriate “Forest Restoration?”
http://www.californiachaparral.com/aindustryadvocate.html

Protecting your home from wildfire:
http://www.californiachaparral.com/bprotectingyourhome.html

Yes, Nature can recover from horrific fires, most of the time. Recently, though, unnatural and too frequent human-ignited fires are causing the loss of native vegetation to invasive weed species that move in after fires and germinate after native “brush” has been cleared too severely. This is called “type-conversion,” which results in less biodiversity in our remaining wildlands. As bad, the invasive plants replacing native species are foreign grasses and shrub weeds that are even more flammable than natives. Everyone should be concerned with this insidious, widespread loss of natural habitat and with the increase in more flammable foreign species around our homes and recreational areas.

One suspects that the U. S. Forest Service is largely responsible for what happened in the Station Fire. It is increasingly evident that they did not stop the fire at its outset, probably because they did not call in “costly” aircraft support and L. A. County Fire resources for help. Responsible agencies should’ve thrown everything they had at the fire immediately after it was spotted, before it blew out like a deadly amoeba in all directions, out of control. There is growing evidence that this fire was poorly managed, not just at its ignition, but also during its spread. We didn’t get aircraft here in Altadena until it was almost too late to save Millard Canyon and our homes. We waited at dawn for aircraft to come as the fire burned eastward from La Canada Flintridge into Altadena. We continued to wait until noon and thereafter, as the Forest was consumed. The firefighters with us were incredulous, but no one could get accurate information about what was going on. The way fire incident command and local evacuations were organized in Altadena was confusing and shamefully inept. We will live with the consequences of this mismanagement for many decades to come. The ancient oaks and wildlife that burned; all the surviving animals that were displaced by loss of forage; all the small creatures eliminated by post-fire floods, debris flows, and rock falls… All this is a tragedy that might have been prevented. That should haunt us all and those responsible.

We rejoice in the wildflowers and recovering vegetation along the front range that begins the healing of Angeles Forest, but let’s not delude ourselves about the magnitude of human-caused damage that has occurred here… and in the Gulf of Mexico, for that matter. Let’s think about our responsibilities and what we can all do to prevent such disasters in the future.

Respectfully,
Lori

Yes fire is a cycle here in california. However, there is a reason for the cycle, to keep the fires in check. Therefore, when the universe causes a fire there is a end to it through rain. However when madmen cause fires out of the cycle, then you get the devestation and horrable death of nature.

Now the land is coming back in check of the cycle, thus deer and rodent will multiply, then bear, snake, cat and coyote will multilply upon that, then owl, hawk, crow, & condor multiply upon that until the vegitation chokes the land once again.

Trees will need to be replanted in some inaccessable area to help. Meditation as well as action of love for the land must done for the land to heal.

Wildfire is part of the natural cycle, but over a month’s worth? Many of the people in Altadena suffered sore throats, breathing problems, and I among others, got walking pneumonia. All I could think about were the poor animals and the glorious vegetation I had hiked in over my lifetime, even while forced to stay in bed.

What type of housing was the camera in? I have a production company and am very interested in the technology.

Deb Halberstadt
HalfCity Productions