California Wildfires: Causes and Consequences
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Transcript California Wildfires: Causes and Consequences
What Fuels Wildfires?
What fuels So Cal wildfires?
California Chaparral Ecosystem
Coastal woodlands and
grasslands of So Cal
have precipitation of 12
to 40 inches per year
Climate is hot and dry
in summer, rainy and
mild in winter
Plants have adapted by
conserving water, have
small, waxy leaves
California Scrub Oak
The name of the chaparral
ecosystem was derived from
the Spanish word for scrub
oak, chaparro
This is a small evergreen or
semi-evergreen shrubby oak,
which may be small and
compact, or grow several
meters high, depending on
terrain and local conditions
Its acorns were an important
Native American food source
Fire-prone plant community
Chaparral is fire-prone
The plants produce
volatile oils that help
them to retain moisture,
but evaporate when the
weather turns hot
Escaping gases form a
cloud above shrubs that
explodes when touched
by flame, flying embers
Santa Ana Winds
Winter rains bring a flush of
new growth in chaparral
When the plants dry out in
the summer and fall,
Lightening, arson or human
carelessness may spark fire
Santa Ana winds can move a
wildfire at speed of 40 miles
(60 km) per day
Dense clouds of burning
embers can blow across
firebreaks, spreading fire
Danger to Houses
Housing developments
have been built amidst
chaparral-cloaked hills
Fire danger has risen
with population growth
Probability of accidental
fires grows as more
people come to live in
chaparral ecosystem
Land Use Planning Needed
Landscape with average
of 45 humans per
square kilometer is
most prone to burn
Lower density has less
human activity
Higher density leaves
less wild land to burn
As CA population grows,
planning will be needed