asmrz wrote:

BTW. x15x15, Bill Bragg and I arrived at Humber Park late in the evening May 27, 1977. We slept in my car and woke up to 8 inches of snow, wind and fog. We bailed to J Tree. That is the latest significant snow I remember in So. Ca.

Iron Hiker wrote:Climbed Cuyamaca Peak yesterday, easily a foot of snow on top, though it was melting fast at the bottom (no more than 1/2 foot at Paso Picacho, probably mostly gone by now). It was definitely a surreal experience, and I'm glad my snow boots got at least one workout this "winter!" (I'm a SoCal transplant from the Northeast USA!)

As of now Palomar to the north of here (Escondido) still shines white in its snowy brilliance......
Bring on more snow(?) next week!

Iron Hiker wrote:It'll take a while. There are already green plants sprouting up between the dead tree snags, and seedlings have been planted, but it will take many many years to recover. The summit area does have a few nice pines left that they managed to save from the fire.

Take a look here for some pics: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2 ... 513&ref=mf

butitsadryheat wrote:

Iron Hiker wrote:It'll take a while. There are already green plants sprouting up between the dead tree snags, and seedlings have been planted, but it will take many many years to recover. The summit area does have a few nice pines left that they managed to save from the fire.

Take a look here for some pics: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2 ... 513&ref=mf

I don't FB, but thanks. If those photos are somewhere else, please let me know. I'd like to see'em, as I haven't seen it in spring in awhile (cousin has a cabin that survived). I saw lots of oaks that made it, but only a few pines. The drainages were thick with tiger lillies. Good to hear some pines are still fighting and recovering.

peninsula wrote:

butitsadryheat wrote:

Iron Hiker wrote:It'll take a while. There are already green plants sprouting up between the dead tree snags, and seedlings have been planted, but it will take many many years to recover. The summit area does have a few nice pines left that they managed to save from the fire.

Take a look here for some pics: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2 ... 513&ref=mf

I don't FB, but thanks. If those photos are somewhere else, please let me know. I'd like to see'em, as I haven't seen it in spring in awhile (cousin has a cabin that survived). I saw lots of oaks that made it, but only a few pines. The drainages were thick with tiger lillies. Good to hear some pines are still fighting and recovering.

I once had a client, a guy in forestry management. He had some interesting insight. He told me in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, there were 13 known species of an ancient, 1300-plus-year old pine tree (I forget the name). Only one survived the Cedar Fire. It is an example of an irreversible loss produce by such a massive wildfire. Certainly looks much better in short time, yet a very long ways from where it was.

butitsadryheat wrote:

peninsula wrote:

butitsadryheat wrote:

Iron Hiker wrote:It'll take a while. There are already green plants sprouting up between the dead tree snags, and seedlings have been planted, but it will take many many years to recover. The summit area does have a few nice pines left that they managed to save from the fire.

Take a look here for some pics: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2 ... 513&ref=mf

I don't FB, but thanks. If those photos are somewhere else, please let me know. I'd like to see'em, as I haven't seen it in spring in awhile (cousin has a cabin that survived). I saw lots of oaks that made it, but only a few pines. The drainages were thick with tiger lillies. Good to hear some pines are still fighting and recovering.

I once had a client, a guy in forestry management. He had some interesting insight. He told me in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, there were 13 known species of an ancient, 1300-plus-year old pine tree (I forget the name). Only one survived the Cedar Fire. It is an example of an irreversible loss produce by such a massive wildfire. Certainly looks much better in short time, yet a very long ways from where it was.

Wow, sad to hear that. That fire was incredible. I have a picture form the LA times of it when it was approaching my cousins cabin. It is amazing their cabin survived. Apparently, the huge oak that was on one side of it absorbed most of the heat, and saved it. The oak survived as well.

peninsula wrote:

butitsadryheat wrote:

peninsula wrote:

butitsadryheat wrote:

Iron Hiker wrote:It'll take a while. There are already green plants sprouting up between the dead tree snags, and seedlings have been planted, but it will take many many years to recover. The summit area does have a few nice pines left that they managed to save from the fire.

Take a look here for some pics: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2 ... 513&ref=mf

I don't FB, but thanks. If those photos are somewhere else, please let me know. I'd like to see'em, as I haven't seen it in spring in awhile (cousin has a cabin that survived). I saw lots of oaks that made it, but only a few pines. The drainages were thick with tiger lillies. Good to hear some pines are still fighting and recovering.

I once had a client, a guy in forestry management. He had some interesting insight. He told me in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, there were 13 known species of an ancient, 1300-plus-year old pine tree (I forget the name). Only one survived the Cedar Fire. It is an example of an irreversible loss produce by such a massive wildfire. Certainly looks much better in short time, yet a very long ways from where it was.

Wow, sad to hear that. That fire was incredible. I have a picture form the LA times of it when it was approaching my cousins cabin. It is amazing their cabin survived. Apparently, the huge oak that was on one side of it absorbed most of the heat, and saved it. The oak survived as well.

Check that... "13 known specimens", not "species". Anyway, more to the point, it is amazing that the cabin survived. I have heard such stories, homes surviving among all surrounding homes burned beyond recognition. To think an oak tree could buffer a home from wildfire is interesting and the first time I have heard such a conclusion. I have a couple of large oaks growing up against my place and had hoped eliminating ladder fuel would do the trick. Your post encourages my confidence.

After the Cedar fire, people started cutting down burned oaks taking them for dead until the county put out an advisory encouraging landowners to give burned oaks a chance to recover prior to their removal. Recover they did! You can see tell tale signs of a survivor, but to an untrained eye, one would not know the difference.

dskoon wrote:Guess that's a testament to hard Oak for ya. Soft Pine. Your cousin sounds a bit lucky. Fate gave him the cabin surrounded by Oak.
That's what I want to see(if you don't mind), is a picture of your cousin's cabin and that oak still standing next to it. Couple photos of the areas that got scorched would be nice too. If it's not asking too much.

Your cousin is lucky. The oak held up pretty well on Old Ironsides as well.

Why are oaks fire resistant?

* The thick bark of oaks is very fire resistant and has low thermal conductivity so that heat does not penetrate well to the living tissues underneath.
* Oaks form dormant buds at the base of the trunk. These buds are protected from fire by the root collars. These dormant buds are below the soil surface where they are protected from the lethal effects of fire. If the stem is killed by fire, one or more of these dormant buds grow.
* Oak saplings become resistant to fire when they are smaller than those of other tree species.
* Oak saplings subject to periodic (annual) fires produce extensive root systems even if top-killed. These large root systems permit better growth of shoots in fire-free years.
* Tree competitors are destroyed by fire, thus permitting selective oak reproduction.

dskoon wrote:Thanks.
I did believe you, just wanted a couple photos. Pretty nice "cabin," there.
Metal roof in fire-prone areas, very smart.

Wow, that last photo is something. Looks like a bomb went off.

peninsula wrote: I remember the 97 El Nino, I was catching big yellow tail off the coast of LaJolla from a kayak having the time of my life!