The Navy, in collaboration with National Park Services (NPS), announced a Joint Wildland Fire Management Plan to be implemented at the Naval Base Point Loma and Cabrillo National Monument. The plan has been under development for the last few years and is expected to guide fire management effectively at these locations for the next five.
The plan ultimately provides the peninsula with both prevention and protection for buildings and homes in and around the base and Cabrillo National Monument by implementing fire-safe building construction and creating “survivable space” around each structure.
NPS and the base have been working together to evaluate “fuel modification zones,” or areas that pose a great risk in the case of a fire. A large amount of the Point Loma area contains densely packed foliage that exists in close proximity to buildings and homes.
So how big is the fire risk in Point Loma? Coastal regions maintain a cooler climate and the frequency of fog supplies a cool moisture level for the surrounding vegetation, providing natural suppression for fire hazards.
“There has not been a fire in the Point Loma area of any high consequence or magnitude in 90 to 100 years,” said Cabrillo superintendent Terry DiMattio. However, “vegetation has changed a lot in 100 years,” he continued.
NPS and the Navy maintain that they are acting to prevent unforeseen circumstances.
“We have the same potential problems as many other areas,” said Captain Mark Patton, commanding officer of the Naval Base Point Loma.
Due to specific risks, such as the high density of particular plants like the exotic Australian Eucalyptus tree, certain areas of Point Loma are very vulnerable, Patton said. The mass overgrowth of these trees presents a dangerous fuel for fire because eucalyptus are high in oil content and therefore burn very slowly, making a fire difficult to contain, he said.
A significant step outlined in the plan is the need to reduce hazardous fuel contributors, such as eucalyptus trees.
“This dense population of trees must be thinned out around buildings and houses, especially in the Fort Rosecrans historic district,” said DiMattio, adding that bulldozers will not be used in the process.
Another key issue addressed by the plan includes the potentially hazardous infrastructure and location of buildings in and around the base and Fort Rosecrans, where initial construction dates back to the late 1800’s.
“Many buildings on base are made of wood and were constructed with open areas underneath them for ventilation,” said Patton.
The open areas present a dangerous situation in the case of a fire because they allow embers, perhaps from burning trees, to blow under buildings and ignite an even more serious fire, Patton continued. Additionally, base facilities are inconveniently located on unstable terrain, and the upslope of natural vegetation presents the possibility for post-fire erosion or flooding.
To avoid this particular fire risk, the plan proposes to incorporate fire-safe building materials, such as cement, to fill those areas, as well as a recommendation for “survival space” around structures by clearing out any vegetation within 100 feet of buildings.
“Our purpose is to conserve historic buildings, but protect the land and patrons around as well,” Patton said. “This really is where the history of San Diego began and it should be valued and protected.”
In an effort to put their theories to test, the National Park Services and naval base plan to conduct experimental fires on four plots of land within the next two to three years, though the public will be notified at least 48 hours in advance, according to DiMattio.
While there are currently two fire stations located on base, the plan calls for two additional fire management units to the east and west sides of the Point Loma ridgeline during the experimental fires. The extra units would serve only as a temporary precaution.
To thwart accidental human ignition of wildfire, the plan suggests eliminating smoking in the park area on the basis of daily “live fuel moisture” levels, which would measure the fire risk.
Before the plan is approved, both NPS and the base must complete an environmental assessment that could take several years.
“The National Park Services and the Navy are working together to essentially continue to be good environmental stewards. We’re trying to preserve the 1,200 pristine acres of San Diego that are an ecological asset,” Patton said.
For information on the 400-page plan, copies have been placed in the Point Loma, Ocean Beach and central library branches. Information regarding the Environmental Assessment is also available at www.nps.gov/CABR under “Management Docs” or by calling the Cabrillo National Park office at (619) 557-5450. Comments may be submitted to the website.