FIRE CAN HELP, RATHER THAN HARM THE MOUNTAIN ECOSYSTEM
- the benefits of fires such as the Yosemite Avalanche Burn

     Fire is often thought of as destructive, but for two decades CSERC has worked to support the return of low-intensity fire back into the Northern Yosemite ecosystem on public forest lands. Slowly, over many years, the Forest Service and Park Service have steadily evolved to make extra efforts to use prescribed burning during cool weather periods in the spring and fall .

     Yosemite Park has also increased the use of natural ignitions from lightning to “steer” managed wildfires so that these natural fires can consume decades of fuel build-up. Managed fires can also benefit wildlife by creating a mosaic pattern with some areas having lots of small trees and other areas being burned so that the forest stands become more open and park-like.

  
      At the end of July, one lightning strike In Yosemite Park started the Avalanche Fire east of Chinquapin and south of Glacier Point Road. Over the past two weeks, Park firefighters have herded the spreading fingers of the wildfire to manage how hot the fire burned and to limit smoke emissions. As of the time of this e-newsletter, the Avalanche Fire was roughly 1,000 acres.

     Smoke has definitely been visible at times, especially when the fire was making short pulses or “runs” upslope. At times the drifting smoke has affected communities at Yosemite West, El Portal, and Wawona. However, Park fire officials have bent over backwards to be sensitive to public health concerns and to host informational meetings about ways they are measuring smoke levels and keeping emissions below thresholds of concern.  On August 15th, Park officials made the decision to hold off on allowing further spread of the fire because weather conditions were not dispersing the smoke enough to avoid annoyance to some communities. Park officials work hard to balance health needs of area residents with ecosystem needs and the goal to reduce the build-up of dangerous fuels

     CSERC strongly supports the use of fire in the local region by Yosemite Park staff and the Forest Service. Lightly burned areas are far, far less vulnerable to destructive wildfires for at least 3-5 years after a low intensity burn. Groundcovers and wildflowers thrive after the fire. The majority of large, over-story trees not only survive, but they, too, thrive as the competing mid-size or smaller trees are thinned out by the fire so there is less competition for moisture.

     To see the positive results of recent Yosemite Park prescribed burning, enter the Park at the Big Oak Flat entrance station and look at the area east of the road and north of Hodgdon Campground. To see recent Stanislaus Forest prescribed burning, take the road down to Beardsley Reservoir or the road to Herring Reservoir. Both are good examples of well-managed controlled burns that are readily visible along those paved roads.

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