West Coast Fire Season Starts with a Big Blaze

California is no stranger to wildfires, but typically the big blazes are pushed by the arrival of the Santa Ana winds in the fall. This year’s first major fire of the season, the Station Fire in Angeles National Forest north of Los Angeles, could end up being one of the largest in California history.

With the blaze only 28 percent contained, already more than 150,000 acres have been burned and many homes damaged or destroyed.

Reports claim that the Station Fire is burning with intense heat. If that continues, regeneration may not take place in the fire’s aftermath inside the Angeles National Forest. Some trees, such as a few species of pines, only regenerate with the help of fire. Fire opens the trees’ seed source, and allows the seed to be released onto the ground. But some fires burn so hot that they burn the seed source as well. The earth is often scorched so severely, further inhibiting natural regeneration.

The Arbor Day Foundation, our members and partners are helping the U.S. Forest Service plant trees in areas of our national forests that cannot regenerate on its own. You can help by joining the Arbor Day Foundation through our Replanting Our National Forests campaign at www.arborday.org. Each dollar donated to the Foundation through this campaign will plant one tree in a forest that needs it most.

You can help revive our damaged forests and make a difference in the world.