You’ve got to be kidding. Not our “Fog Forest”
California Wildfire Risk Map. LA is Red and Yellow. Monterey Peninsula is Dark Green! (Report to California Utility Commission)
Worry & Fear
I completely understand why people living here on our Monterey Peninsula are seriously worried about fire – after seeing the horrible wildfire tragedy Live-on-TV in Los Angeles’ Pacific Palisades. And the neighboring areas of Eaton, Hughes, and Malibu — who wouldn’t be worried or frightened?
Many of us know friends of family who have lost their homes and everything in those fires. Some have lost their lives and their pets.
Not to mention all the wildlife that has been killed by the fires.
However, what happened (and is still happening) in Los Angeles is wildly different than here in our bucolic nest named “Grove.” History and a little science shows our area is far safer from wildfires thanks to Fog, cooler temperatures and mild winds.
Drought vs Fog
Los Angeles and Pacific Palisades have experienced a strong drought.
Contrast with how our forests have totally reliable fog every summer – keeping George Washington Park damp. Combined with the Fire Station only a few quick blocks away — maybe that’s why we’ve never had a serious fire in George Washington Park.
We have Pine Forests – LA doesn’t.
Pines need the fog. Indeed our pine forest delineates the edge of where our fog shows up reliably. Where pines grow naturally, its because they have reliable fog. Damp Forests don’t sustain or spread fires. That’s why its called a “Fog Forest.”
The only recent fire in our Peninsula forest was set by a homeless camper in 1987 (almost 40 years ago) and blown by one of the 20 mph strong Spring winds. It burned 36 homes, but it did not spread beyond the ocean facing wind-blown Pebble Beach ridge. Thankfully no one (humans or pets) died and no one was seriously hurt. The ecosystem was damaged and wildlife undoubtedly died.
LA Hot vs PG Chilly
Why don’t more Los Angeles folks move here?
Because its too cold for them. (Notice the frost outside the past few days?)
Its also a lot harder to make, sustain or spread a forest fire in the cold, next to the ocean.
Hot Raging Winds – vs PG’s Wet Mild Winds
For a week, Pacific Palisades had 100 miles an hour winds; unrelenting, roaring, hot Santa Ana winds.
Peninsula forests never get hot dry winds like those.
Our Peninsula only gets winds over 40 miles an hour during storms. Usually during rainstorms. Our only sustained strong winds are very humid afternoon Northwesterlies in Springtime. Wet winds do not ignite fires.
So No, George Washington Park is not a “tinderbox.”
It is not ready to explode into a wildfire.
Ecosystem Health Requires Dead Trees
That Nextdoor post (which conveniently refuses to allow comment) is horribly ignorant about ecosystem health.
You don’t remove dead trees from forests because they provide vital homes for Woodpeckers and dozens of other adorable animals – who have lived here for millennia before we showed up and paved everything else.
Woodpeckers need the soft wood of a dead tree to carve their homes – with their beaks. Would you prefer to carve your home into the hardwood of a living tree or the far softer trunk of a dead standing tree?
When you remove all the trees from George Washington Park – what do you get?
Seaside – Pavement and Buildings.
Shall we put that to a vote?
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