Update on Molok Luyuk After Ridge Fire
Nate Lillge • August 9, 2024
On July 20, the Ridge Fire swept up the western slopes of Molok Luyuk, burning the southern portion of the ridge and continuing through Tuleyome's Sulphur Creek Easement at Wilbur Hot Springs Resort. Thanks to the resort's well planned and executed emergency protocols, all staff members and guests were able to evacuate safely. Additionally, no structures were damaged!
Tuleyome joined Bureau of Land Management staff on Molok Luyuk after the fire to assess the conditions. As with all wildfires, different parts burned at different intensities. There are many areas where it appeared to be a quick moving grass fire, as shown in the picture above, while other places, mostly in chaparral, the fire was more intense. In one section, unfortunately, the fire was intense enough to burn the oaks that were growing on the hillside.
After visit the ridge, Tuleyome visited the resort to see how the easement was impacted. As with Molok Luyuk, the fire had varying degrees of intensity. On the valley floor and most of the hillsides, the burn was a quick moving grass fire. Over the past two years, Wilbur has been installing beaver dam analogs (BDAs) to increase infiltration of water into the ground and create a diverse ecosystem. The valley where most of these were installed is a bright green spot amongst the brown and black of the burned hillsides (see photo below). This is proof that BDAs work! By providing moisture to the plants, the quick moving fire could not ignite the vegetation. This in turn provided refugia for animals during the burn.
We will be working with BLM and Wilbur Hot Springs to restore some severely impacted areas in the near future. If you are interested in helping with these, please contact Nate (nlillge@tuleyome.org).
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