Fire Recovery Action Program

The San Dieguito River Park was severely impacted by the Witch Creek Fire, including the loss of the Park and Ranger headquarters and the restored Sikes Adobe Historic Farmhouse. Over 60% of the River Park’s 80,000-acre Focused Planning Area was burned; almost all rich chaparral and coastal sage scrub that will take years to recover. Though shocked at the scale of the damage, we are hopeful about nature’s resiliency and its ability to rebound.

While fire plays an important role in the health of native vegetation communities, some aspects of the Witch Creek Fire -- such as high winds and the extent of the burn area – will make it necessary to closely monitor the recovery of natural areas. We are working with biologists and other technical experts to determine the best use of resources during the recovery phase, including mapping intact habitat areas, identifying priority areas for revegetation and aggressive control of invasive species. Because much of the burn area supported special status species before the fire, we are particularly concerned about the recovery of native habitat and its effect on the survival of threatened or endangered species over the long-term.




How You Can Help
Park visitors will also be instrumental in aiding the recovery of native vegetation and the return of wildlife by:

• Respecting posted trail closures
  
  
• Not entering burned habitat areas posted as closed
  
  
• Not letting dogs run off-leash in burned habitat areas

Homeowners adjacent to burned open space can help control the introduction of invasive plants by:

• Not reseeding with non-native species
  
  
• Using weed-free mulch or straw wattles
  

You can also help by donating items on the River Park’s Fire Recovery Wish List or by donating to our Fire Recovery Fund, which will directly support our fire-related habitat recovery projects in the coming months.

Conservancy Fire Recovery Projects
The Conservancy is working on the following fire recovery projects:

• Coordinating the program – with the River Park – to obtain Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding for reimbursement of fire-related costs not covered by insurance
  
  
• Leading a scientifically based process to evaluate fire impacts in the River Valley and develop an program of recovery actions, such as the mapping of refuge areas not burned by the fire and measures to support natural restoration
  
  
• Recruiting and managing volunteers for fire recovery work, such as educational trail patrols
  
  
• Organizing a forum for citizens in the River Valley to learn about successful “protection in place” structural and natural planting techniques - tentatively scheduled for Fall 2008 in Rancho Santa Fe