The San Dieguito River Park
18372 Sycamore Creek Rd.
Escondido, CA 92025
Phone: (858) 674-2270
Fax: (858) 674-2280

What's Growing On

by Jason Lopez, Resources and Trails Manager

Fire at Raptor Ridge

There was a small (1 acre) wild fire in the River Park on Tuesday June 22. The fire was started around 4PM along the western side of the Raptor Ridge section of the San Pasqual Valley Trail. The trail acted as a break and contained the fire to the downhill side only and a California Department of Forestry (CDF) helicopter quickly extinguished the fire. On the ground, fire departments from Poway, San Diego, San Pasqual, and CDF responded and mopped up the remaining hot spots. The location is of interest because there was no vehicle access to the area (or power lines) and the closest road was well over a mile away and the nearest staging area is about 3 miles away. If you have any information please contact the Park.

The Raptor Ridge trail held up incredibly well to the pressure from the large buckets of water dumped by the helicopter and the firefighters' 1.5 inch water lines. Pictured below is a section of trail that was re-shaped during Ranger Dave Hekel's monthly trail maintenance project on Sunday the 14th. Monthly Volunteer Trail Maintenance occurs the second Sunday of each month, check the event schedule for directions. The access to the fire was from Highland Valley Road along what we call the River View section, which on most days is a trail. This section also proved to be structurally sound. Resources and Trails Manager Jason Lopez followed in a full size City of San Diego fire engine and only flinched once while they drove across the multiple drainage mechanism installed since the River Park took over this important stretch of trail. All trail work along this section is done knowing that there is a need for access by large vehicles, the road should have the aesthetics of a trail, and that there is important wildlife habitat in the area, including endangered species. Good Work River Park Field Staff!

The area of the fire was started in a mixed oak woodland and generally was beneficial and did not adversely affect too many native plants. After the fire, CDF hand crews had to cut a break around the burned area to insure that no embers re-ignited the surrounding brush. SDRP staff spread the cut vegetation back on to the break to help with erosion and to block off the new trail-like fire break.