Fire Ecology: Fire Storm

Another day at work. Another cold afternoon in February, over howling winds, the siren sounds, calling all available fire fighters. I find myself, out of habit, checking the incident report to see what the siren call is for and discover it’s a fire in Round Valley (just off the slopes of the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountain Range). My employer, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power owns land there so I inform staff. Co-workers who live in that area leave immediately to check on homes and pets. But wait a minute, this isn’t fire season.

The Round Fire occurred in Inyo and Mono Counties along Sherwin Grade of the Eastern Sierra's. It burnt both public and private lands, including a quarter of the residence and out buildings in the small community of Swall Meadows (Chen, 2015). Over 6,500 acres and 40 structures destroyed in just hours. Retired Long Valley Fire Chief, Fred Stump, this wasn't a fire, it was a fire storm. It was energized with 100 mph gusts of wind that changed directions quickly, halting firefighting numerous times. In the end, it was a rare but plentiful rain that finally put it out (Grassesch, 2015).

Photo by Jerry Dodrill

Historically, the Eastern Sierra Mountain Range and specifically, Swall Meadows, is known for hot dry summers and cold winters. The crazy winds, four years of drought, and the arid climate mixed with dry woody brush and old Jeffery Pines were all key to this horrific event.In addition to the winds the rocky, rugged terrain and urban development made combating this fire difficult.

Photo by Jerry Dodrill

Inyo and Mono Counties are rural with small communities spread over the region. There a small local fire departments with almost all volunteer staff. The Round Fire was addressed through multiple agencies and amazing volunteers including Wheeler Crest Fire Department and Paradise Fire Department, Cal Fire, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and U.S. Forest Service; some of which are family and friends.

Photo by Jerry Dodrill

Professional photographer and also retired firefighter, described it as scene right out of hell with fire burning in every direction, up and down the Sherwin Grade. He described the flames at lengths over a hundred feet that raced up the slopes of Wheeler Crest (Gabbert, 2015). I find his three previous photos to be a fine line between spectacular and frightening.

Photo by Gary Young

This is just 20 miles from my home in Bishop, California. Many of the people who live in the area’s small communities know one another; they know the men and women who fight fires. I feel for their personal loss and the loss of habitat for wildlife that also call this mountain range home. The following picture is of the Round Valley Mule deer that winter in the Swall Meadows area.