Sayre Report - Hazard Mitigation Web Portal - State of California

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DRAFT TECHNICAL SPECIALTIST’S Burned Area Recovery Team (BART) Resource: Forestry Fire Name: Sayre Fire CA-LFD-1460 December 2008 Authors: Adam Deem Registered Professional Forester #2759 California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection 6105 Airport Road Redding, CA 96002 Thomas D. Bristow, Deputy Forester Los Angeles County Fire Department, Forestry Division Vegetation Management Unit 12605 Osborne Street Pacoima, CA 91331-2129 I. Resource Condition Assessment A. Resource Setting The Sayre Fire began on Friday, November 14, 2008 at 10:49 p.m. and burned approximately 11,262 acres in Northern Los Angeles County along the San Gabriel Mountain Range. The predominantly wind-driven Fire burned north of the I-210 freeway in the vicinity of the city of Sylmar, and was bounded by the previous Marek Fire burn to the East and the Sesnon fire to the West, across the I-5 interstate. The fire was declared contained on November 21st. The topography of the fire area is generally steep (70% of the fire area has slopes greater than 60%), with incised canyons which run in a general north-south pattern which are part of the east-west trending transverse ranges in Southern California. Of the total area, about 50% (5,668 acres) are on lands owned by the US Forest Service, administered by the Angeles National Forest. Of the remaining acres, about 26% (3,000 acres) occurred within the State Responsibility Area (SRA) of the State of California and the remaining 24% (2,594 acres) occurred within local jurisdictions (county and city). Most of the fire area is generally considered chaparral and coastal sage scrub, tree species include: Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia), Scrub Oak (Quercus berberidifolia), California Sycamore (Platanus racemosa) and Southern California Black Walnut (Juglans californica Wats. var. californica) existing in lower drainages, and various debris basins.
Around the Olive View Hospital and homes within the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI), a variety of species including Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus spp.), Aleppo Pine (Pinus halapensis) and Canary Island Pine (Pinus canariensis) are planted as ornamentals. Overall burn intensities are moderate to low. Areas with native tree cover were mostly low, being subject to under burning with some group and individual tree torching. Soil burn severity for the fire area was 39% Low, 60% Moderate and 1% High. Chaparral species are well adapted to fire, with many species having the capability to sprout back from root crowns or through adventitious buds. As notable tree species, Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia) and Scrub Oak (Quercus berberidifolia) are expected to recover well from the low to moderate intensity burns. Eucalyptus trees are non-native species widely planted ornamentally, for windbreaks, and to prevent soil erosion. Eucalyptus trees tend to have complete duff and litter consumption with the fast moving wind-driven fire, but the canopies were largely unconsumed but scorched by the flaming front. An accurate estimate for scorch mortality is not available, but it would be reasonable to expect a fair amount of mortality to occur. In addition, trees weakened by fire may create favorable conditions for Eucalyptus Long-horned borers (Phoracantha semipunctata and P. recurva) and pine bark beetles to flourish, with an increase in insect mortality. Trees weakened by fire or insects are also at an increased risk of succumbing to a variety of infections from disease, fungus or rot. In any of these occurrences, dead trees may pose an increase in fire hazard, limb breakage, and wind throw. B. Survey Methods Field reconnaissance methods were performed by both vehicle and by travel on foot through portions of the fire. Areas surveyed include the Wilson Truck Trail & Debris Basin, Placerita Canyon Road, Sand Canyon Road, Edison motorways, Elsmere Canyon area, De Campos Trail, Weldon Canyon Motorway and areas North of Sesnon Boulevard. During this time, Los Angeles County Public Works was observed evaluating and treating hazard trees in proximity to road areas within the burned area. In addition to field surveys, aerial photography (Source: Tele Atlas) was also reviewed to determine pre-fire vegetation communities and to compare with post-fire conditions. II. Findings of on the Ground Surveys C. Identify Values At Risk
Page 1 and 2: Sayre Fire Burned Area Recovery Tea
Page 3 and 4: Appendix 7 Values at Risk Site Map-
Page 5 and 6: Protection Area (DPA), and 2,594 ac
Page 7 and 8: B. Threats to Wildlife and Botanica
Page 9 and 10: All VARs identified during the Scop
Page 11 and 12: Sayre Fire Contact List Katie VinZa
Page 13 and 14: DRAFT TECHNICAL SPECIALIST’S SUMM
Page 15 and 16: works at Pacoima dam may be clogged
Page 17 and 18: Evaluations of the Los Angeles Coun
Page 19 and 20: Botanical resource emergencies fall
Page 21 and 22: DRAFT TECHNICAL SPECIALTIST’S Bur
Page 23 and 24: All threat assessments included wit
Page 25 and 26: the Marek Fire on the eastern side
Page 27 and 28: 4. Property owners located below th
Page 31 and 32: VI. Findings of the On-The-Ground S
Page 33 and 34: a total of 682 acres burned by thes
Page 37 and 38: Figure 2. II. Findings of the On-Th
Page 39 and 40: to prevent erosion at high value si
Page 43 and 44: III. Emergency Determinations The a
Page 45 and 46: 2. Performing a literature review o
Page 47: • A detailed structural inspectio
Page 51 and 52: • Trees that were already declini
Page 53 and 54: Specific Recommendations Any hazard
Page 55 and 56: VI. References California Native Pl
Page 57 and 58: perimeter on the eastern side but d
Page 59 and 60: In general, burn patterns were low
Page 61 and 62: The western spadefoot toad is a sta
Page 63 and 64: • Conduct long-term bird monitori
Page 65 and 66: Penrod, K., C. Cabanero, P. Beier,
Page 67 and 68: Rare plant and natural community lo
Page 69 and 70: sprouting shrubs may be repeatedly
Page 71 and 72: lands is the coast live oak woodlan
Page 73 and 74: • Preserve natural stream bottoms
Page 75 and 76: • Avoid livestock grazing in burn
Page 77 and 78: Figure 3 Dozer lines along Santa Cl
Page 79 and 80: Photos of Vernal Pools in O’Melve
Page 81 and 82: 7. Hog Basin 8. Yarnel Basin 9. Sad
Page 83 and 84: The hospital has several areas that
Page 85 and 86: California Geological Survey Burn S
Page 96 and 97: Appendix 11 Wildlife Corridor Map
Page 98 and 99:
Appendix 13. CNDDB List of Californ
Page 100 and 101:
Table - 3: Peak Flows Increase for
Page 102 and 103:
Table 5. Values potentially at risk
Page 104 and 105:
Table 8: Rare, Threatened, and Enda
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Sayre Report - Hazard Mitigation Web Portal - State of California

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