The Wildfire to Wildflowers blog is part of an illustration project focused on fire recovery at Cold Canyon. My goal is to make the fire regeneration process accessible to a wide audience, with insights into general ecology, wildfire ecology, and climate change.
Stebbins Cold Canyon is a part of the University of California Natural Reserve System. The canyon is located in Napa and Solano Counties about six miles west of the town of Winters.
On July 22, 2015, the Wragg Fire started just west of the reserve and quickly engulfed Cold Canyon. By the time the fire was fully contained on August 5, it had burned over 8,000 acres, including the entirety of the reserve.
Stebbins Cold Canyon is a beloved natural area for local hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. The public’s interest in the reserve and its proximity to population centers creates an exciting opportunity for scientists to communicate to the general public the new discoveries that will come from intensive study following this fire.
I am visiting Cold Canyon regularly to draw specific sites on the reserve as they respond to the fire, focusing specifically on sites and subjects that are of particular interest for reserve management and to researchers engaged with the reserve.
These images over time tell the story of the reserve’s response to the fire.
