NEWS for October 2007

USGS scientists met today to begin collecting and analyzing ash from the recent southern California fires. USGS scientists expect the ash from the recent fires to be more characteristic of urban/suburban fires compared to wildland fires. Chemicals and components in home and infrastructure fires may carry increased amounts of polyaromatic hydrocarbons and other pollutants known to seriously impact water supplies. USGS scientists with specialized knowledge of water quality, mapping, ecosystems, and chemistry will mount a multi-hazards approach to respond to the fires. Dr. Lucy Jones, Chief Scientist of the USGS Multi-Hazards Demonstration Project is leading the USGS post-fire response. The effort to characterize the ash and its potential effects on water supplies and ecosystems is being led by USGS scientists, Deborah Martin and Eric Reichard. (Contact Dale A. Cox, Project Manager, USGS Mutli-Hazards Demonstration Project, 916-997-4209)

With the southern California wildfires nearly contained, Federal, State, local, and tribal officials are beginning to implement post-fire response efforts to assess the impact of wildfires on watersheds in the burned areas. Burned vegetation and altered soils will increase the threat of flooding, erosion, and debris flows. USGS Multi-Hazards Demonstration Project Chief Scientists, Dr. Lucy Jones and USGS California Water Science Center Director, Michael Shulters, were named as representatives to on a federal, state, local, and tribal task force that will begin the process of assessing conditions in the burned areas, and implement measures to reduce damage from flooding, erosion, and debris flows in southern California. The wide range of efforts at all levels of government to address the threat posed by flooding, erosion, and debris flows has the potential to result in conflicts in priorities, competition for resources, and gaps in assistance. (Contact Dale A. Cox, Project Manager, USGS Mutli-Hazards Demonstration Project, 916-997-4209)

To prepare for the rains that will inevitably follow the recent southern California wildfires, USGS scientists began aerial surveys of key burn areas to create hazard maps for use in a debris flow warning system The debris flow warning system will be run cooperatively with the NOAA National Weather Service (NWS). Deliver to Burn Area Emergency Response (BAER) Teams, the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, FEMA, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and affected counties. (Contact Dale A. Cox, Project Manager, USGS Mutli-Hazards Demonstration Project, 916-997-4209)