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Bobcat Fire Profile

Galt Grotke, Alexandra Martinez, David Sanchez, Oliver Solares, Karis Ryoo

Department of English, Cal State Fullerton

ENGL 301 ; Advanced College Writing

Dr. Leslie Bruce

October 4, 2021
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The impacts of the 2020 Bobcat fire in Azusa, CA have clarified the need for the public

to be educated on the multitude of ways fires impact their communities. The Bobcat fire started

on September 6, 2020, and the blaze continued for months. According to Adam Voiland, writing

for NASA’s “Earth Observatory,” the blaze consumed nearly 180 square miles of the San Gabriel

mountains, extending as far as Palmdale in the north (Voiland, 2020). In the process, NBC Los

Angeles reported that it destroyed 87 homes and a total of 171 structures. The cause of the fire

was never ascertained with certainty, but it is suspected to have been initiated when a Southern

California Edison powerline came in contact with a tree, as the company disclosed in a letter to

the California Public Utilities Commission (Bobcat Fire, 2020). The Bobcat fire poisoned the air

of southern California for days, so understanding the impact on our health and the health of our

children has never been more important. Residents were evacuated, property destroyed, and lives

ruined. Similarly, animals were burned or forced out of their habitats. This wildfire, like so many

others, was initiated by human activity, and it behooves us to understand how our behavior

impacts our communities and environments, and what we can do to make an impact for the

better.

Eye-Witness Accounts:

In the moments of being involved with something so historical, you often start to think

about how this could happen to you. In this case, with the Azusa Bobcat Wildfire, the community

had to evacuate their homes, gather as much of their belongings, as well as figure out a plan to

see where they can shelter for the next few days or so. Ann Palmer, a Sierra Madre Resident

stated “My car’s been packed, facing outwards, not in the garage ready to go” (1:11-1:15,

KTLA) as she shows the materials and her personal belongings all stuffed in the back of her car.
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Palmer also stated that this is the worst fire she has ever experienced since 50,539 acres have

been burned and the smoke was not helpful for the community. Another wildfire witness showed

us what supplies he brought with him as he was preparing to evacuate. “All essential people need

clothes, an extra pair of clothing, dog food, and we are ready to go” (0:19- 0:31) majority of

those who need to evacuate have a tone of voice of being worried since they’re having to

sacrifice their homes to be safe. The last witness stated “I am hopeful that I can come back home

and everyone will be safe” (1:37, ABC) as many people start to worry and have curiosity about

coming back home they also start to think about how others are doing. It’s a scary feeling of

seeing something that is right in front of you as well as those having trouble breathing due to the

smoke. Those who are protecting us such as firefighters were very much appreciative that those

within the community-made sure they were receiving the love and messages they deserve from

trying to keep everyone safe. Witnesses continue taking proper precautions, staying safe, and

trusting the process of the firefighters getting rid of the fires as soon as possible.

Animal Consequences:

When placed in those dire situations, people often forget about the animals trapped by the

fires, which poses its consequences. For instance, animal migration affects the evolution of social

behavior. Den-sharing patterns, in particular, alarmingly changed due to “a significant negative

shift in the direction of the effect of relatedness on den-sharing from pre-fire to the immediate

post-fire period … and a large demographic increase” (Blyton, 2012). Under the adaptive social

response theory, the researchers predicted that the sudden decline in den availability post-fire

would decrease den sharing in burnt habitats and increase the preference of sharing dens. Under

the disruptive social effect principle, the effect of family in den-partnership interactions
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disappeared, which studied familial relatedness and how the animals possibly adapt preceding

and following the fire. They also predicted the daily probability of a couple of mountain brushtail

possums living in a den together in the two groups over August–October 2008, February–April

2009, and August–November 2009. This spans between before, during, and after the fire. These

six linear models predicted the den-sharing probabilities (figure 2). According to the table in

figure 2, wildfires destroy countless species that not only reside in dens but other locations, as

well. Snakes, specifically, fall victim to these tragic wildfires. "Apparent survival of the

small-eyes snake population decreased by 48% 8 months after the wildfire” (Webb and Shine,

2008). This implies that the fire decimated the snake population or snakes permanently moved to

more habitable sites. Additionally, people have relocated fish threatened by mudslides to Soledad

Canyon for 4 years, which displays that humans try to enforce the proper regulations for animals

to live in more habitable areas, as well (Sahagun, 2020).

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Figure 1: A group of tables comparing the probability of brushtail possums cohabiting a den in burned versus unburned habitats. The

x-axis represents the unburnt or burnt pre or post-fires, and the y-axis represents the probability of den-sharing. The three periods span

before, during and immediately after the fire, and after the fire, respectively.

Source:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-294X.2011.05282.

Air Quality:

A forest wildfire can sabotage the surrounding air quality. Even at a distance, you are at

risk of inhaling harmful air pollutants. Wildfire smoke can make anyone sick, especially people

with asthma, any heart condition, or pregnant women. Smoke is not ordinary air pollution. It is

considered more harmful than any other type of air pollutant. This does not help with the fact

that Los Angeles is ranked as the 30th city with poor air quality (IQAir, 2021). Wildfires are
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common in the United States and Canada but are prevalent in California. The Bobcat fire of 2020

is an example of this.

The Los Angeles Times published an article in December titled “L.A. began 2020 with a

clean-air streak but ended with its worst smog in decades”. The article explains how wildfires

and extreme temperatures are affecting air quality in Southern California. The article explains

that 2020 is the smoggiest year for Southern California. Before March, there was a theory that

the Covid pandemic may have an impact on decreasing cars on the road. Los Angeles had about

21 days of smog-free air. That didn’t last long. When March came, the region faced intense heat

waves that worsened the ozone pollution. The Times news reporter, Tony Barboza disclaims, “In

all, this year there were 157 bad air days for ozone pollution — the invisible, lung-searing gas in

smog — across the vast, coast-to-mountains basin spanning Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and

San Bernardino counties. That’s the most days above the federal health standard since 1997.”

(Barboza, 2020) The climate change and environmental justice writer reveals that the state had

experienced the worst wildfire smoke health risk ever recorded by fall 2020. The combination of

wildfire smoke and hotter temperatures is making smog harder to control.

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Figure 2: A histogram depicting days of unhealthy air in Southern California. The Y-axis represents the total days of poor air quality in

California. The X-axis represents the year. Between 2000 and 2010, California experienced fewer days of bad air quality. Source:

https://www.latimes.com/people/tony-barboza

The Bobcat fire may be the biggest impact on Southern California air pollution of 2020.

Smoke from the Bobcat fire spread across most of the region of Southern California. Areas

affected by unhealthy air quality include Los Angeles, Coastal Los Angeles, San Fernando

Valley, San Gabriel Valley, Santa Clarita Valley, and the San Gabriel Mountains. Dr. Muntu

Davis, chief health officer for Los Angeles County, said in an interview that, "If you can see

smoke, soot, or ash, or you can smell smoke, pay attention to your immediate environment and

take precautions to safeguard your health. These precautions are particularly important for

children, older adults, and people with heart or lung diseases.'' (Davis, 2020) The Bobcat fire

destroyed about 11,000 acres. With that amount of ash and smoke, the air quality was
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contaminated with carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide can persist in the atmosphere for about a

month and can travel long distances. Although gas has little effect in high altitudes, scientists

have determined that strong winds can carry the gas downward, which can significantly impact

air quality. Recently this year, there has been an increase in wildfires in California. More

wildfires equate to more smoke and a release of carbon monoxide into the air. Consequently,

Southern California will be hit with more days of air pollution.

Climate Change and Land Impact:

According to the Fourth National Climate Assessment, “area burned by wildfire across

the western United States from 1984 to 2015 was twice what would have burned had climate

change not occurred”. With Los Angeles being a location where climate change occurs rapidly

due to fossil fuel combustion, it is no surprise that wildfires are becoming increasingly common

in the county.

Figure 3: Graph indicating the average annual temperature in the Los Angeles County area. Includes the past 6 decades and a

prediction for the rest of the century. The predictions are based on Representative Concentration Pathways and the value refers to
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different predictions based on if or when greenhouse gas emissions start to decline. Source:

https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2019-11/Reg%20Report-%20SUM-CCCA4-2018-007%20LosAngeles_ADA.pdf

The graph shows an upward trend of average annual temperature in LA and predicted

increases in temperature ranges. In a Bloomberg Law article about California Wildfires in 2020,

about 112 million tons of carbon dioxide was produced as a result of wildfires. Carbon dioxide

and carbon monoxide are some of the primary greenhouse gases that are responsible for the

upward trend in climate change. From the Fourth National Climate Assessment, it is known that

climate change increases the probability of a wildfire occurring, and because massive amounts of

greenhouse gases are produced from wildfires, it seems as if Los Angeles County is perpetually

stuck in a cycle of wildfires and climate change.

Although wildfires are a natural process in most ecosystems, human influence potentially

results in an abundance of wildfires leaving irreparable damage. The USDA forest service claims

that a total of 114,577 acres of land were burned in the 2020 Bobcat wildfire. About 15,000 of

these acres were estimated to be private land. The San Bernardino National Forest covers about

800,000 acres of land but after the Bobcat wildfire, only about 85% of the entire national forest

is habitable to wildlife or left unburned. The majority of this burned land is national forest land,

but it is crucial to act before all of the forest lands are destroyed because, eventually, all that will

remain in the path of a wildfire are cities and private residences.

Prevention/Preparedness:

Unfortunately, this fire was not an isolated incident. While there is little individual

citizens can do to manage utilities and national forests, there are things they can do to manage

their risks. As southern California residents and meteorologists can attest, the California wildfire
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season is lengthening (Capucci, 2021). Conversely, as CalFirePrevention.org dramatically states:

“This year, California is burning. There is no “fire season.” The dangers are present every day,

365 days a year. That means it’s more important than ever before to be prepared,” (Leitz &

Barrett, 2016). The implications for residents, especially those most at risk, are clear: always be

prepared. According to NBC Los Angeles, 171 structures burned, and an additional 47 were

damaged in the Bobcat fire (Bobcat Fire, 2020). There are several things individuals can do to

prepare for wildfires.

First and foremost, if you live in an area of the rural-urban interface, “harden your

home,” a phrase that has entered common parlance to refer to making your home fire-resistant.

The Cal Fire Prevention Organization recommends clearing all brush from around your home,

and, if possible, using fire-resistant landscaping. In “Defensible Space,” the site

readyforwildfire.org goes into more detail on how one can defend their home. Specifically, they

describe how to create three zones of defense. “Zone 0”, what they call the “ember resistant

zone” should be the zone immediately proximal to your home, and should be clear of any fire

hazards. Creating this zone entails cutting all tree limbs and branches back 10 feet from your

house, and using gravel and concrete material for all decks. Essentially, you want to completely

minimize any ignitable materials near your home. “Zone 1” is 30 feet out from any structures.

They recommend creating fire-resistant spaces between any plants or trees so that if one ignites it

does not spread to another and clearing all dead weeds or brush. Finally, “Zone 2” extends either

30-100 feet out or to your property line, and they recommend consulting with local ordinances,

as there may be laws applicable to maintaining this space (Defensible Space, 2021).
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Figure 4: The three zones of defensible space should include a 10-foot “ember resistant” area around any structures, a 30 foot “Lean, Clean and

Green” zone extending out from your home with a minimal dry brush, and a 100-foot zone of reduced fuelSource:

https://www.readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire/get-ready/defensible-space/

As noted before, prevention is crucial, but there is always the possibility that disaster will

strike, despite your best efforts, so preparation is key. Letiz and Barrett recommend not only

making an evacuation plan but practicing it (2016). Pack your family up in a road-ready vehicle,

know the routes that are likely to be closed in the event of an evacuation order, and know which

ones will be open, and head to safety. That evacuation plan should include a family

communication plan if you become separated, and include plans for gathering pets and valuables,

notes “Defensible space” (2021). They also recommend having an emergency supply kit for each
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member of the family. Finally, stay in touch with your neighbors and community. As Leitz and

Barrett put it, “In today’s social-media driven environment, your local fire department will be

sharing information, typically via Twitter and facebook” (2016). Find these sources of local and

relevant news, and keep informed in the event a fire breaks out near you. Taking these steps may

save your home -- or your life.

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Reference List:

Legend:

Blue - Galt Grotke

Black - Alexandra Martinez

Red - David Sanchez

Purple - Karis Ryoo

Orange - Oliver Solares

(2020 October 13). Bobcat Fire Possibly Caused By Tree Branch Touching Overhead Conductor.

NBC Los Angeles. https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/bobcat-fire-cause-angeles-

national-forest-wildfire/2442975/

ABC7. (2020, 19 September). Bobcat fire spreads to 91,017 acres nearly 2 weeks after erupting

in the San Gabriel mountains I ABC7 [Video]. Youtube. https://youtu.be/VpT8mdJUugY

BANKS, S. C., BLYTON, M. D. J., BLAIR, D., McBURNEY, L., & LINDENMAYER, D. B.

(2012). Adaptive responses and disruptive effects: how major wildfire influences

kinship-based social interactions in a forest marsupial. Molecular Ecology, 21(3),

673–684. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-294X.2011.05282.

Barboza, T. (2020, December 6). L.A. began 2020 with a CLEAN-AIR streak but ended with its

worst smog in decades. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 26, 2021, from

https://www.latimes.com/people/tony-barboza

California's 2020 WILDFIRE EMISSIONS akin to 24 million cars. news.bloomberglaw.com.

(n.d.). Retrieved September 28, 2021, from

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https://news.bloomberglaw.com/environment-and-energy/californias-2020-wildfire-emiss

ions-akin-to-24-million-cars.

Capucci, Matthew. (2021 May 2). California’s Wildfire Season is Expanding as the Wet Season

Becomes Compressed. Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021

/05/02/ california-wildfire-season-growing/

Defensible Space. (2021 July 2). Ready for Wildfire. https://www.readyforwildfire.org/

prepare-for-wildfire/get-ready/defensible-space/

Hall, A. (n.d.). Los Angeles Region Report. Retrieved from

https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2019-11/Reg%20Report-%20SUM-CCCA4

-2018-007%20LosAngeles_ADA.pdf.

Leitz, T. and Barrett. (2016 August 18). Ready, Set, Go! Santa Rosa, CA:CalFirePrevention.

https://www.calfireprevention.org/ready-set-go/

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-12-06/2020-la-air-quality-southern-california-poll

ution-analysis#:~:text=L.A.%20began%202020%20with%20a,14%2C%202020.

KTLA 5. (2020,17 September). Bobcat fire: new evacuation orders issued as 50,000-acre blaze

burns in Angeles National Forest [Video]. Youtube. https://youtu.be/yxvem66PvmM

KTLA 5. (2020, 8 September). Evacuation warning issued as Santa Ana winds prompt fears of

bobcat fire spread [Video]. Youtube. https://youtu.be/NaNyi5ZfSP8

Liberto, T. D. (2020, August 26). Over a million acres burned in California in second half of

AUGUST 2020: NOAA Climate.gov. Over a million acres burned in California in second

half of August 2020 | NOAA Climate.gov. Retrieved September 28, 2021, from
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https://www.climate.gov/news-features/event-tracker/over-million-acres-burned-california-

second-half-august-2020.

Louis Sahagun. (2020). Can we save the animals? Fires, storms threaten protected species in San

Gabriels. The Los Angeles Times.

NBC Southern California. (2020, September 15). Unhealthy air quality persists across la county

as bobcat fire rages. NBC Los Angeles. Retrieved September 26, 2021, from

https://www.nbc losangeles.com/news/local/unhealthy-air-quality-persists-across-la

-county-as-bobcat-fire-rages/2428591/.

USDA Forest Service. (n.d.). Bobcat Fire 2020. Retrieved from

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd868759.pdf.

Webb, J. K., & Shine, R. (2008). Differential Effects of an Intense Wildfire on Survival of

Sympatric Snakes. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 72(6), 1394–1398.

http://www.jstor.org/stable/25097708

World air Quality Index (aqi) Ranking: AirVisual. World Air Quality Index (AQI) Ranking |

AirVisual. (n.d.). Retrieved September 26, 2021, from https://www.iqair.com/us/

world-air-quality-ranking.

Voiland, Adam. (2020). Bobcat Fire Scorches Southern California. NASA Earth Observatory.

https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/147324/bobcat-fire-scorches-southern-california