Without question this has been a wild summer. California is in one of its worst droughts in modern history with a dropping lake level at Clear Lake and related ramp closures, the COVID-19 pandemic remains with us, and wildfires continue to rage throughout the state. Where it all end no one knows.
The wildfires, especially those during the past three years. have changed the character of Lake County for years to come. Not only have thousands of acres burned, but other factors have local residents concerned.
The irony of all this is that many of the fires could have been prevented with a little forethought by our governmental agencies. Studies have shown that more than 95 percent of the fires in California are caused by man. Just a careless act of mowing grass during the heat of the summer or other outdoor activities can result in a roaring wildfire. Lighted cigarette butts tossed out of car windows can result in a wildfire. A walk along any road in the county will reveal hundreds of cigarette butts.
The other fire preventative would require property owners to keep the grass and brush cut on their property. A drive around the county shows huge areas tverrun with head-high dead grass. While cities and the county have ordinances in place requiring property owners to keep their grass mowed, they are rarely enforced. If property owners fail to cut their grass after a warning, then local government officials should hire a professional to cut it and charge the property owner.
Dozens of homes have been destroyed in the past three years, forcing local residents to move. Others have rebuilt their homes even in areas where they might not be safe to live in. Luckily there have been few deaths and injuries.
Wildland fires have forced wildlife to move as well. Unlike man, wildlife learns to adapt to wildfires and other catastrophic events. Nature has a way of preparing wild animals for life-threatening events.
Deer are a good example. For some reason deer seem to know when a fire is heading their way and they just leave. Few deer are killed in a wildland fire and the ones killed are most likely the old and young. During the 1982 Cow Mountain fire I volunteered to work with the biologists looking for dead deer. We split up into teams and walked the entire burn area and found only two deer carcasses. Most of the deer had left the area several days before the fire. How the deer knew that a wildfire was headed their way remains mystery.
The wildlife most susceptible to a wildland fire are birds because they get trapped in the treetops, Small animals such as rabbits and squirrels also suffer large losses, the reason being they are so small they can’t get away fast enough. Insects suffer large losses because they can’t fly fast enough to escape the flames.
Wildland fires benefit wildlife by creating new growth. The fire kills much of the old growth that sucks up water. Most of the canyons have steams running through them a few days after a fire. The young sprouts that grow in these canyons offer animals such as deer a tasty meal. In fact, hunters report seeing an increased deer population this year in the Mendocino National Forest, which burned three years ago.
At one time controlled burning of the forests was done yearly, the purpose to create new growth for wildlife. It also helped stop wildland fires from getting started and helped limit their spread. Fires aren’t always bad. In the old days they called controlled burning “forest management.”
Wildland fires and drought will be with us forever. We just need to learn to live with them.
