There is always the danger of fire that is increased by the fuel
loading of the area. The biggest fire in the area in recent history
was in 1948, and the effects are still to be seen in the extensive
fire scarring of redwood and Douglas-fir trees and the abundant distribution
of tanoak in some of the forest stands. This fire has also produced
significant amounts of decay in the lower butt logs of fire-damaged
Douglas-fir trees. Those trees with damage have been removed to the
extent possible in the recent harvests. Fire risk in the grassland
is reduced by livestock grazing and in the forest by thinning of the
understory and hardwoods.
