Wildfire Season Officially Underway – Beware ‘Fine Fuels’

Fine fuels, a result of non-native, invasive plants, are just another factor contributing to California’s wildfire risk. – Photo by Terry Miller

By Annette Semerdjian

Depending on who you talk to, Southern California could be facing one of the toughest fire seasons in history due to the ongoing drought. The dry and windy conditions in California are a potential a recipe for disaster, but the fine fuels caused by invasive plants, many in your own backyard, can increase the fire risk substantially.

Wildfires are caused by these factors: fine fuel loads, windy and dry conditions, lightning, drought, and the effects of El Niño and La Niña. Millions of acres have been burned by human error and carelessness, which is a leading cause of wildfires. Yet, fine fuel loads can be increased unknowingly from your own front yard when planting non-native flowers and grasses.

Man has introduced most of these now invasive species to their non-native areas, resulting in one of the leading causes in wildfires – fine fuels.

Outside of the beauty and exotic aesthetics of many non-native flowers that grace places like the sides of highways, there are also grasses and plants that may even be on your front lawn. After Governor Jerry Brown issued a removal of millions of square feet of lawn for drought resistant ones, many did not know that although their lawns were beautiful and drought resistant, they became invasive. They have the potential to spread and invade other areas, which adds to the fine fuel for wildfires.

The Predictive Services National Interagency Fire Center issued a National Significant Wildfire Potential Outlook on Sunday, May 1, that regarded the fire threat for Southern California and some other regions. In it they stated that fine fuel loadings would be a problem for Southern California. Also, the area could be facing the worst conditions in fire season compared to other areas like Hawaii and the Southwest. Southern California also was hit heavily with drought that lasted now to its fifth year, which could worsen fine fuel conditions that are a key source for wildfires.

Introduction of non-native plants to certain areas of California cause it to become invasive to the area’s natural vegetation and release these fine fuels. According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, there are currently 183 invasive species on their Pest Ratings of Noxious Weed Species and Noxious Weed Seed List and some plants still have the potential to become invasive. These invasive plants often outcompete for water and sunlight, and even replace native and natural plants that do not cause fine fuel.

Although unintentional, our attempts at improving the drought with horticulture can have harmful consequences and hinder the natural state of vegetation when adding plants that do not belong in certain areas. With the conditions of a dry and windy La Niña that may lie ahead, the highest risk may be in June. Predictive Services National Interagency Fire Center will issue another report on June 1.

Also look out for certain plants when attempting to improve your lawn, such as Big Periwinkle and English Ivy. More species can be found on California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s “Don’t Plant Me!” page where they have listed nine species of invasive plants.

More from Arcadia Weekly