YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK Centennial Issue is been 100 years ture an appearance by since President Ben- President George Bush, jamin Harrison who has been invited. A I signed into law the number of other dig- act that established a large nitaries will also be in area around Yosemite attendance, and about Valley and the Mariposa the time of the ceremony, Big Trees as Yosemite a time capsule will be National Park. For the buried in front of the remainder of 1990 and Yosemite Valley Visitor until October, 1991, the Center. National Park Service Other centennial pro- will be celebrating the grams include a major park's centennial and ask- symposium that has been ing people to contemplate scheduled from October Yosemite's history and 13 to 19 in Concord and how the preservation Yosemite . The focus of idea, engendered in the symposium will be Yosemite, has taken on on natural and cultural new meaning in the face resource issues and on of global environmental future directions for park changes . There are hopes management. There are that from history we can also at least two museum learn the Iessons that will exhibits that will be open allow us to manage and through the end of the use Yosemite with the year. One is at the Califor- same foresight and wis- nia Academy of Sciences dom exemplified by those in San Francisco, the who first legislated the other at Yosemite 's own preservation of the place. museum . Please call the Participation in Yosemite Association at Yosemite's centennial (209) 379-2317 for infor- celebration is open to mation about any of everyone, and a variety of these programs or events. events has been ongoing throughout the year. 1990 Continued on page 99 activities will be high- lighted by an official cere- mony on October 1st which will commemorate the enactment of the Yosemite legislation men- tioned above . Though details are still sketchy, Tenaya Canyon from Glacier the event will probably Point, 1870's, published in YAs be held at Tuolumne Yosemite As We Saw It, A Centennial Meadows and may fea- Collection of Early Writings and Art. JAMES D . SMILLIE/YOSEMr E COLLECTION PAGE TWO YOSEMITE ASSOCIATION, SUMMER 1990 Yosemite on Fire! Editor's note: As has been widely suppression. Most of the battles Yosemite West were saved; over reported in the media, large wildfires were won within hours, the bud- 5,000 acres and 480 firefighters burned extensive areas of Yosemite ding fires suppressed by human were involved. National Park in early August. The energy, technology and in some August 10: 15,000 were evacuated following article is excerpted from the cases• sheer determination . Yet a from Yosemite Valley in 4 hours; information sheet prepared by the Na- few of these strikes grew rapidly 567 firefighters were on the fire. tional Park Service for post-fire visitors beyond containment, becoming August 11 : 9,000 total acres burned to Yosemite . We feel fortunate to report the most severe fires in the last in the main fires; 1,747 firefighters that no Yosemite Association employee 100 years at Yosemite. continued the fight. or property was harmed by the fires. While it's true that lightning • August 12 : 14,793 total acres burned; was the immediate cause of these 2,508 firefighters were involved. fires, there were several other envi- Q August 13 : 18,018 total acres burned; ronmental factors which contri- 2,721 firefighters involved. August 7, 1990 is when it all buted greatly to their severity: When They Happened August 14 : 22,095 total acres burned; started . Intense thunderstorms 1) by the summer of 1990, Califor- August 7: Numerous lightning 3,136 firefighters were on the raked the broad forests of Yosem- nia was experiencing its fourth strikes ignited many small fires. fire; containment approached on ite's western flank. In a matter of consecutive year of drought; 2) August 8: Thunderstorms contin- the fire. hours 28 separate lightning fires some of the areas had not been ued with high winds; 1900 acres August 16 :TheT-Grove fire was were burning. The Park responded burned in 10, 20 or in some cases burned; 100 firefighters with air and controlled at 8 p .m. immediately with all the firefight- 100 years ; and 3) high winds on bulldozer support were involved. ing resources at its disposal, focus- the second and third days drove August 9: Winds up to 60 mph ing on the 14 fires which were in the fires to a level of ferocity that were experienced; a firestorm Above, fire on the Tamarack Ridge, areas designated for complete fire couldn 't be suppressed. destroyed Forests ; El Portal and and below, the Steamboat fire . August '17: The Tioga Road was test fires were along roads where absence of fire —a century of sup- reopened. they are obvious and could cause pression efforts by humans. August 20 : The Steamboat fire was problems. Crews have been cut- Along Highway 140 in the controlled at.6 a.m. Highways 140 ting and will continue to cut Merced River Canyon the fire and 41 were re-opened. hazardous trees, and culverts and burned largely in chaparral, a August 21 : The A-Rock fire was signs will be repaired . Erosion mixed shrub community found controlled at 6 p .m. Considering will increase and rocks on the on the lowest, driest slopes of the all the fires combined, 24,030 u roads will be common . In the park. Natural fires here usually acres burned, 3,400 firefighters coming months the Park will con- occur every 10 to 25 years. Some were involved, and the total cost tour and revegetate areas where shrubs in this community are not exceeded $11 million. there has been disturbances killed by fire ; portions above August 24 : The Big Oak Flat Road management agencies was imme- caused by firefighters and bull- ground burn, but roots survive was re-opened. diate and the teamwork began. dozers, but the forest itself will and quickly resprout . A few spe- The fire season is not yet over How People Responded be left to regenerate as it has cies actually need fire for their and other droughts will occur, but always done. seeds to germinate . Many of the On August 9, fires destroyed it is clear that through cooperative best spring wildflower displays How Are Yosemite's Plants the community of Foresta and effort we can protect the park and occur in chaparral the year after Affected by Fire? threatened two others, thousands those who love it. a burn! of campers adjacent to the fires Yosemite is home to diverse plant were evacuated, and firefighters The Work in the Wake of communities that have evolved rolled in from around the nation. the Fire Fire crews from the California Dept. over millennia in response to peri- of Forestry finishing up at Tamarack Response from communities, con- Less than 2% of Yosemite burned odic fires. More recently, they Creek, the extension of the A cessioners, the public, and land in these fires, but some of the hot- have been affected instead by the Rock Fire. e.. tt PAGE FOUR YOSEMITE ASSOCIATION, SUMMER 1990 The recent fires have given us reason to look again at the role that fire plays as one of the natural processes involved in the continual re-creation of the marvel- ous landscape we call Yosemite. Along the Big Oak Flat and Managing Fire in a National Wawona roads the immediate, Park sometimes startling effects of fire on the coniferforests are most One hundred years ago Congress obvious . The charred trunks are created Yosemite National Park incense cedars and firs that grow to be enjoyed so as to leave it well in shade and were favored unimpaired for future genera- tions by years of fire suppression. With- . To early park managers "unimpaired" out any fire, these often out- meant "unburned ." number pines. Pines require bare By 25 years ago, scientists had mineral soil and plenty of sun- recognized fire's role in main- light for their seedlings to sur- taining natural vegetation and vive— exactlythe conditions that wildlife habitat. prevail after a fire. The National Park Service Yosemite's most famous plant recognizes two types of fire — "wildfire," species, the sequoia, are actually - which is always sup- fire-dependent. Giant sequoia pressed, and "prescribed fire ." cones may remain closed on the Human-caused fires are always tree for up to 20 years, until heat suppressed. Lightning fires may from a fire opens them . Ironically, or may not be, depending on con- the Merced Grove of Big Trees ditions such as location, weather, was threatened by the intense the national fire situation, and fires, but nt t burned. air quality. When certain con- ditions are met the fire becomes Effects on Wildlife "prescribed ." Fire is not always as devastating The fires of August, 1990, to wildlife as one might think. began in an area where fire is Many individuals escape, but always suppressed due to the some die. Of great importance is proximity of homes and facilities. the preservation of species . Fire However, lightning strikes occurring in remote areas may plays a role in creating healthy, become " natural habitats for wildlife popu- prescribed natural fires ." lations. Fires tend to burn in an Such fires are monitored and as- uneven, patchy fashion . This sessed daily. creates a mosaic of diverse areas In areas where it is too danger- for wildlife — low green forage in ous to let lightning call the shots, recent burns, sheltering stands park managers may opt for "pre- of brush and trees in unburned scribed burning, " choosing the areas, and standing dead trees time, place, and weather condi- that provide nesting cavities and tions to start a fire whose bound- insects to eat.