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Brushfires in California: Ecology and Resource Management

In light of the recent southern California fires there have requests for information relating to California brushland fires. The following papers are from a symposium held May 6 and 7, 1994, and published by the International Association of Wildland Fire in 1995 (Brushfires in California: Ecology and Resource Management), editors: Jon E. Keeley and Tom Scott.

Click on the paper's title to download a PDF version of that paper.

Preface

"These proceedings are the product of a two day symposium held at the University of California, Irvine, 6-7 May 1994, in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Southern California Academy of Sciences. This symposium was a natural outgrowth of a renewed interest in fire management of California ecosystems, which was sparked by the massive fire events of late October 1993. In a two day period, 26-27 October, 17 major fires, driven by fierce Santa Ana winds, consumed over 65,000 ha (˜170,000 ac), between San Diego and Ventura counties. Within a week four more fires ignited in this region, ultimately burning about 80,000 ha (195,000 ac), killing four persons and destroying nearly 1000 homes and other structures. These simultaneous fire events, widely distributed throughout southern California, burned lands under many different jurisdictions. The different resource management strategies of these agencies came under close scrutiny and, in many people's minds, called for a reexamination of existing policy. This symposium brought together scientists, resource managers and conservationists, to discuss and synthesize existing data on prefire and postfire ecology and management of California brushland ecosystems. The papers presented here illustrate the success of this effort and point up those areas in need of further research and discussion.

Jon E. Keeley
Tom Scott"

1. Prefire Landscapes Along the Wildland Urban Interface

Conservation Science in Fire-Prone Natural Areas: Raymond M. Sauvajot
Fuel-Driven Fire Regimes of the California Chaparral: Richard A. Minnich
Fuel Management, Fire Behavior, and Prescribed Burning: Scott Franklin
Fire and the Natural Community Conservation Planning (NCCP) Program: William E. Tippets, Liam H. Davis,
Theresa A. Stewart, and Susan A. Cochrane
Fire Management for Rare Plants and Animals: Scott D. White and Michael Pantoja
The "Thirty-Year Wildfire" as a Planning Tool: Les Hardie
A Conservation Perspective on Fire Management: Dan Silver

2. Fire Impacts on Animal Populations

Fire as a Management Tool for Stephens' Kangaroo Rat and Other Small Mammal Species: Mary V. Price, Nickolas M. Waser,
Kimberly E. Taylor, and Karen L. Pluff
Response of Rodent Populations to Wildfire and Prescribed Fire in Southern California Chaparral: William O. Wirtz, II
Impacts of the October 1993 Laguna Canyon Fire on California Gnatcatchers and Cactus Wrens: David R. Bontrager, Richard A. Erickson,
and Robert A. Hamilton
Effects of Fire on the Ecology of the California Gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica), and Associated Bird Species, in the Coastal Sage Scrub Community of Southern California: Audrey L. Mayer and William O. Wirtz, II

3. Postfire Recovery and Management

Overview of Management Issues Raised by the 1993 Wildfires in Southern California: Jon E. Keeley, Mary Carrington, and Sally Trnka
Fire Intensity and Vegetation Recovery in Chaparral: A Review: Mark A. Borchert and Dennis C. Odion
Fire Frequency in Southern California Shrublands: Biological Effects and Management Options: Paul H. Zedler
Fire and the Debris Flow Potential of Winter Storms: Thomas E. Spittler
Rationale for Burned Watershed Rehabilitaion: Doug Wickizer
Post-Fire Emergency Seeding and Conservation in Southern California Shrublands: Todd Keeler-Wolf
Potential Impacts of Emergency Seeding on Cover and Diversity Patterns of California Shrubland Communities: John F. O'Leary
Impacts of Postfire Grass Seeding on Chaparral Systems -- What Do We Know and Where Do We Go From Here?: Susan G. Conard, Jan L. Beyers, and Peter M. Wohlgemuth
The Oakland Hills Fire of 20 October 1991: An Evaluation of Post-Fire Response: Frederick A. Booker, William E. Dietrich and Laurel M. Collins
Effectiveness of Straw Bale Dams for Erosion Control in the Oakland Hills Following the Fire of 1991: Laurel M. Collins and Christopher E. Johnston
[Pictures]
Postburn Monitoring of the Eagle Fire: First Year Recovery on Sites Seeded With Buckwheat and Coastal Sage: Thomas C. White, John Stephenson, and Fred Sproul
Recovery of Oaks (Quercus agrifolia) Following the Old Topanga Fire, November 1993: Rosi Dagit
Impact of Postfire Hydroseeding on Sensitive Plant Communities in Laguna Canyon, California: Peter A. Bowler
Comparison of Seeding Emergence in Hydroseeded and Non-Hydroseeded Burn Sites During Early Stages of Post-Fire Recovery: Stephanie H. Asche and Kristin P. Barton
A Postfire Seeding Experiment at the San Diego Wild Animal Park: Jan L. Beyers, Theresa A. Stewart, and Cary Sharp
USDA Forest Service (Region 5) Policy on Burned Area Emergency Rehabilitation as it Relates to Seeding: William J. Brown, Jr.
The Soil Conservation Service Viewpoint on Revegetation After Wildfires: David A Dyer
CNPS Statement on Seeding Following Wildfire: David L. Magney and Emily B. Roberson
Remarks on Postfire Seeding: Boyd Gibbons
A Scientific Basis for Abandonment of Ryegrass Seeding: Ted St. John
Postfire Management: Workshop Summary: Jon E. Keeley

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