Burlingame's Mills Canyon preps for fires

This is our most vulnerable place probably in the whole city for fires,” Councilmember Donna Colson said. “I think getting this work done and doing it is of paramount importance.”

Currently 88% of the state, including San Mateo County, is in an “extreme drought” which entails a year-round fire season and the potential for fires to occur in typically wet parts of state, according to the National Integrated Drought Information System. The last drought in the state lasted from 2012 to 2016, hitting its peak in 2014.

“Our fuel density, combined with several years of drought, has lowered our fuel moisture levels to critical levels, and what we’re seeing from that is extreme fire weather behavior,” Ken Giacotto, Central County deputy fire chief, said. 

Clearing forest areas of vegetation likely to spread fires both laterally as well as vertically into tree canopies is a key part of lessening severity of potential fires. These practices are especially important in places where wildfires have been suppressed, leading to fuel buildup.

“We’re never going to be able to prevent wildfires,” Burlingame Parks Supervisor Richard Holtz said. “But our goal is to mitigate the spread and intensity of those wildfires so we can protect the urban environment.”

In Mills Canyon, Cal Fire, the California Conservation Corps, as well as youth volunteer groups, have aided in the efforts, which have also included maintenance and improvements to the popular 1.6-mile trail that loops through the canyon, with stairs added to steep portions and some surface leveling and work to drainage systems.

In some areas, sizable groups of nonnative trees, yellow acacias in particular, have been removed to make way for native growth. The species, despite being “beautiful when it is in bloom,” as noted by Holtz, risks crowding out native trees and also contains a natural oil that is especially flammable. 

Though removal of dead trees, potentially killed by harmful fungus or drought conditions, is part of fire mitigation efforts, some are intentionally left in place when not at risk of falling on trails.

“We will go ahead and retain those trees and allow them to provide habitat for wildlife,” Holtz said, noting also their role in harboring bacteria and fungus which are part of the ecosystem.

Employing goats to reduce vegetation which could spread fires has been considered, but has generally been ruled not feasible due to complications surrounding the desire to retain some native plants, Holtz said.

“Goats aren’t very discerning, they’re hungry, they’re going to eat,” Holtz said, adding that the cost could actually end up being two to three times more than human labor.

Of native trees in the canyon, coast live oak is the most common. pine, bay Laurel, big leaf maple and California buckeye species are also present. The canyon is home to wildlife including deer, rabbit, raccoons and foxes.

San Mateo County has a free text and call alert system for emergencies including fires, which can be subscribed to by going to smcalert.info.

corey@smdailyjournal.com

(650) 344-5200, ext. 105