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FIRE AS AN ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT
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The 1999 fire was, for the most part, a low heat intensity surface fire, although
some trees were burned to the top or canopy. Surveys indicate that the soil in
the burn area was not heat damaged. With soil intact, fire following plants have
begun to revegetate the burned area. The burn area is an excellent learning laboratory.
Denise Knapp, Conservancy vegetation specialist, monitors and surveys numerous
photo points and transects on the 320 acre site. The data she is gathering will
help in the development of a fire management plan for the Conservancy's land.
In the future, managing the ecological health of the island may require the
use of fire to encourage forests of different aged trees, to control invasive
nonnative plants, to reduce the fuel load of dead wood and plant debris, to stimulate
the germination of fire followers. Research suggests that a periodic fire cycle
may be essential.
In the past 140 years on Catalina, humans have caused over two hundred documented
fires on Catalina. Over one hundred have been in Avalon or the Pebly Beach area.
Most have been unintentional. In the past 50 years, four fires have been caused
by lightening, the most recent on the East End in 2001. While fire is important
to the ecological health of many island habitats, the possibility of catastrophic
results from accidentally set fires is frightening to imagine. Until a fire management
plan is ready for implementation, we all have a responsibility to prevent accidentally
caused fires.
Los Angeles County has designated Catalina as a class 4 fire danger area,
the highest level of fire potential. The following prevention guidelines comply
with LA County law. |
