Here’s a bit of news that ought to make Orange County mountain bikers happy: Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park is soon to reopen.

The gates of the park, which was closed down after the massive Santiago wildfire in October, will be thrown open July 12.

The fire, one of many Santa Ana wind-driven blazes up and down the California coast that created a days-long firestorm, left the park’s terrain and natural vegetation a shambles. One section of the park is visible in the photo at right, courtesy OC Parks.

The park was filled with charred trees and branches that could fall without warning, said OC Parks district supervisor John Gannaway.

“Many trees were still burning quite some time after the fire was put out in that area,” he said. “We would come across trees that had been smoldering for days, sometimes a couple of weeks. They could still burst into flame with the right conditions.”

Gannaway brought another parks official to see a burned bridge, but at first it looked like the bridge had disappeared.

“I realized the reason we had trouble finding it was a very large oak tree had fallen,” he said. “It completely covered the area we were standing in the day before. That was a perfect example of how dangerous the park was.”

Another hazard: hidden charcoal pits.

“What was very scary for us was these big potholes,” Gannaway said. “Anywhere from two to four feet in diameter. It looked like it was cool, but if you were to step into it, it was just like stepping into a deep pit of burning charcoal.”

Animal carcasses littered the landscape. And even after all the smoldering embers cooled, there were more dangers. Runoff from late winter rains raced through the denuded landscape, cutting deep ruts and drops in the park’s trails.

“We had to go back in with equipment and hand crews to completely reshape literally every trail in the park,” he said.

The park is still a bit of a moonscape, of course, with its skeletal remains of trees and shrubs and expanses of scorched dirt. It will be ten to 15 years before the park recovers its former look: green oak woodlands and dense, mature plant cover of chaparral and coastal sage scrub.

A closer look, however, will reveal the astonishing resilience of Orange County’s native plant communities: small shoots of green sprouting from blackened trunks and other charred remnants. And in about five years, there will be enough growth to hide most evidence of the fire.

Gannaway said the park, which is most popular with mountain bikers but also draws equestrians and hikers, will be a bit delicate for some time, and hopes visitors will be cooperative and patient. More frequent closures will be likely during rains, and visitors will be asked to stay on trails to avoid trampling the new growth.

“Enjoy the park, enjoy the beauty, enjoy the change by coming out and seeing the park as it progresses along through the season,” Gannaway said. “But be good stewards, and help us protect your park.”

More Sciencedude

Posted in: Ain't that interesting? • California science and environment news • Climate and weather news • California wildfires • Santa Ana winds • Whiting Ranch Wilderness park |

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.