| Pages:
1
2 |
motoged
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6481
Registered: 7-31-2006
Location: Kamloops, BC
Member Is Offline
Mood: Gettin' Better
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by Crusoe
Soulpatch and Motoged....You must understand one simple thing. ..... You cannot "say let her burn-Its a natural cycle" because they are two complete
opposite comparisons. I have watched Palm trees burn in Baja and it is scary!!!! If a fire is a bad one it will take some time for it to return to
normal. Not a good event! ++C++ |
Crusoe,
I agree....my thinking is NOT "let 'er burn", but that , while upsetting to watch the devastation of such fires, it is sometimes an event from which
an area recovers over time. As you point out, such difference in environments will contribute to the "recovery" factor.
I am not at all suggesting that we sit back and not make an effort to manage such events....all we can really do is try and prevent human-caused
fires.....removing "fuel" such as dead stuff is one step that can be undertaken....
I always am saddened by the loss of wildlife in such situations.
[Edited on 8-21-2009 by motoged]
Don't believe everything you think....
|
|
|
wilderone
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3880
Registered: 2-9-2004
Member Is Offline
|
|
Removing fuel will not prevent human-caused fires.
This is something mankind, in its infinite ignorance, has propegated in response to fire events, caused by ignorant human beings, to "do something
about it" after their homes - built in a forest - burned.
"Managed" forests are not complete, healthy forests - they are sorry remnants of forests. The "fuel" you speak of, eventually breaks down into vital
components of a healthy soil needed to sustain fungi and plant life; it is habitat for bacteria, insects, rodents, birds, etc. - a healthy chain of
life; it also stabilizes temperatures in order that grasses, flowers, seeds - several species of which are food for wildlife - can be sustained. And
this is only a capsule of life in a forest - life in an estuary - life in a desert. And what else does mankind, in its infinite ignorance, not know
about the interaction of all living and dead things in such an environment? Mankind will do everything to alter the environment to suit themselves -
"save my house, remove all the trees"; drain an estuary/wetlands, and build condos for profit; etc. (too many examples to list).
If mankind would respect, protect, nurture and encourage healthy natural places, we would be much better off.
As to preventing fires and their results, I think Smokey the Bear, said it best.
|
|
|
Cypress
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7641
Registered: 3-12-2006
Location: on the bayou
Member Is Offline
Mood: undecided
|
|
A serious fire will alter the landscape for at least 40 yrs. Recovery is a slow process. Too much "Smokey the Bear" attitude will only result in
devistating fires in the future.
|
|
|
bajajudy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6886
Registered: 10-4-2004
Location: San Jose del Cabo,BCS
Member Is Offline
|
|
pix
This was taken when the fire had just started
[Edited on 8-22-2009 by bajajudy]
|
|
|
bajajudy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6886
Registered: 10-4-2004
Location: San Jose del Cabo,BCS
Member Is Offline
|
|
15 minutes later
Notice how the smoke is almost going sideways. Strong winds!
|
|
|
bajajudy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6886
Registered: 10-4-2004
Location: San Jose del Cabo,BCS
Member Is Offline
|
|
Another shot taken from the La Playa end of the incomplete bridge.
|
|
|
bajajudy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6886
Registered: 10-4-2004
Location: San Jose del Cabo,BCS
Member Is Offline
|
|
Two days later, this is what we found walking down the beach side of the estuary. This is in the center of the estuary. That hillside was not
visible before
[Edited on 8-22-2009 by bajajudy]
|
|
|
bajajudy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6886
Registered: 10-4-2004
Location: San Jose del Cabo,BCS
Member Is Offline
|
|
These pelicans seem unconcerned. Although there was a lot of habitat destroyed, I believe that there is enough left to support anything that
survived.
One thing that I noticed is that the tops of many of the palms are still green. I think that because the wind was so strong the fire moved on before
getting to the top.
[Edited on 8-22-2009 by bajajudy]
|
|
|
bajajudy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6886
Registered: 10-4-2004
Location: San Jose del Cabo,BCS
Member Is Offline
|
|
This lone palm kind of says it all.
|
|
|
Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
Member Is Offline
|
|
Thanks so much for sharing the photos, Judy. the estuary has been one of my favorite places for decades. Here's hoping that there will be a rapid
recovery.
|
|
|
Crusoe
Senior Nomad
Posts: 731
Registered: 10-14-2006
Member Is Offline
|
|
Judy.....Thanx for the pics and update. I know exactly where that is. Have camped very near there 20 years ago. It is hard to tell the amount of
damage from pictures sometimes, but I think, it looks like the fire just burned and blew itself out. Be thankful it was a windy afternoon. If had
started earlier in the day and there was no wind it could of spread inta a much bigger incident. ++C++
|
|
|
ecomujeres
Nomad
Posts: 299
Registered: 9-10-2006
Location: Mulege, BCS & Oakland, CA
Member Is Offline
|
|
The article cited actually says that 20 hectares seem to have been affected by the recent fire but that the damage to the estero as a result of the
recent fire, as well as past fires and hurricanes, has now reached 50% of the estero's total area.
|
|
|
Crusoe
Senior Nomad
Posts: 731
Registered: 10-14-2006
Member Is Offline
|
|
20 acres is a very significant amount when added up to the amount of raw desert in and around the area! ++C++
|
|
|
DianaT
Select Nomad
Posts: 10020
Registered: 12-17-2004
Member Is Offline
|
|
Thanks for the pictures.
|
|
|
mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 19945
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot n spicy
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by soulpatch
Smokey Bear doesn't talk
|
sure he does.
|
|
|
Russ
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6742
Registered: 7-4-2004
Location: Punta Chivato
Member Is Offline
|
|
20 hectors = 49.4 acres
Bahia Concepcion where life starts...given a chance!
|
|
|
Mexitron
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3397
Registered: 9-21-2003
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Member Is Offline
Mood: Happy!
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by Hook
| Quote: | Originally posted by Mexitron
Couldn't quite tell from the photo what kind of palms those were--if its the San Jose Hesper--Brahea brandegii--then its native to the area. If its
the Mexican Fan Palm--Washingtonia robusta--then its not really native to the site anyway (and has been declared an invasive pest in California, if
anyone's being a purist). Either way, those palms tend to survive fires quite well, so there probably isn't any need to plant small ones...wait to
see if the existing ones resprout. |
So, who went around sowing all the Robusta seeds in the lower Colorado Desert areas of SoCal? Palm Springs, Borrego, etc. What has made it non-native?
Just asking, 'cause sometimes I think common sense has been declared an invasive pest in California. |
Technically, the Washingtonia robusta--Mexican Fan Palm--is only native to a few canyons in Central Baja (Catavina has a few) and in a couple canyons
in Sonora. It IS intriguing why such a prolific palm is so limited in the wilds...I think some have suggested that they have reproductive/genetic
issues in their habitat. All the W. robustas you see in the the lower Colorado, etc. were introduced. Personally I have no problem with them
naturalizing, they are pretty and a boon for wildlife(and I love seeing them grow in the center dividers of the 5 freeway in LA!)--I merely mentioned
that for those who are worried that a native habitat has been scorched---with the palms its stretching it a bit...although from the pictures that Judy
has graciously posted they look like they will recover just fine. As Taco de Baja pointed out, the palms in the canyon above Borrego are the
Washingtonia filifera--California Fan Palm.
|
|
|
| Pages:
1
2 |
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
