Springs Fire

The Springs Fire was a wildfire in Ventura County, California in May 2013. Although the fire burned only 15 homes,[2] it threatened 4,000. This threat passed when rain shower moved through the California area because of a low-pressure system off the coast. Some places got more than half an inch of rain.[3]

Springs Fire
Extent of the Burn
LocationCamarillo, Ventura County
Statistics
Date(s)May 2–6, 2013 (PDT)
Burned area24,251 acres (9,814 ha)[1]
Buildings destroyed15

The fire started at 6:45 AM on May 2, 2013, in Camarillo, California near U.S. Route 101 and burned across Pacific Coast Highway to the Pacific Ocean.[4] Several neighborhoods were evacuated, along with the campus of California State University Channel Islands.[5][6]

Impacts

The fire burned around 24,000 acres of brushland along coastal Ventura County and into the Santa Monica Mountains.[7] Weather conditions made favorable conditions for brush fires.[8] The Santa Ana Winds were blowing at 40 to 50 miles per hour, spreading the fire; single-digit humidity added to the problems. By May 3, the fire was only 20 percent contained; on May 4, higher humidity made firefighters jobs easier; and on May 5 the fire was 60 percent contained.[9] On May 6, 2013, the fire was almost extinguished as rain fell in the area.[10]

Scientists are concerned about the impact of the fire on Dudleya verityi, a rare species of succulent plant known by the common name Verity's liveforever. Endemic to Ventura County, this species is only found on one edge of the Santa Monica Mountains, where it occurs in coastal sage scrub habitat. The dominant plants are California sagebrush (Artemisia californica), California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum) and purple sage (Salvia leucophylla). At least two occurrences are within the campus bounds of California State University, Channel Islands where faculty and students are tracking sites where the plant exists and studying it.[11]

View of the Fire
Springs Fire, Ventura CA. Approaching homes.

See also

References
  1. "Springs Fire". CAL FIRE. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  2. "Rain Helps and Hurts California Wildfire Containment". Huffington Post. May 6, 2013. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
  3. Lopez, Robert (May 6, 2013). "Storm drops more than half an inch of rain across LA area". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  4. "Springs Fire Grows to 28,000 Acres, Only 20% Contained". KTLA. May 3, 2013. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  5. Bernstein, Sharon (May 6, 2013). "Firefighters, helped by rain, mop up California wildfire". Reuters. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  6. Lopez, Robert J. (May 2, 2013). "California wildfires: Springs fire reaches PCH in Ventura County". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2013-05-04.
  7. Carlson, Cheri "Glass beads point to significant archaeological find in Rancho Sierra Vista" Ventura County Star February 12, 2014
  8. Carlson, Cheri (May 2, 2018). "The Springs Fire left blackened, bare hillsides in a drought. Then the rain started". Ventura County Star. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  9. "Cooler temperatures help to tame southern California wildfire". Reuters. May 5, 2013. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  10. Carlson, Cheri. "The Springs Fire left blackened, bare hillsides in a drought. Then the rain started". Ventura County Star. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  11. Carlson, Cheri (September 29, 2013). "Scientists keep eye on rare plant burned in Springs Fire]". Ventura County Star. Archived from the original on 2014-08-09.
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