Stebbins Cold Canyon

Wragg Fire Map (8/5/2015)

Image | | robinleecarlson

The Wragg Fire started just over the ridge to the west of Cold Canyon, rushing quickly over the hill and down into the canyon.  Once there, it remained in the canyon, generating winds that caused it to cycle within the canyon, according to Jeffrey Clary, Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve Manager.  This greatly increased the intensity of burning in the canyon.  The differences in fire intensity across the landscape burned will lead to interesting opportunities to compare rates and types of regrowth in the coming years.

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The Wragg Fire (7/22-8/5/2015)

Image | | robinleecarlson

Between July 22 and August 5, 2015, the Wragg Fire burned over 8,000 acres in Napa and Solano Counties, including the entirety of the Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve near Lake Berryessa.

On July 28, driving home in Davis, I happened to notice a new large plume of smoke, further south than where I had seen smoke previously.  This was the day the fire reignited, after having been at 80% containment.  It took another seven days to reach full containment.

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As I stood at the side of the road watching, an air tanker flew overhead, heading away from the fire.

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A couple of days earlier, I had seen the completely burned hillside west of Winters, making a stark contrast with the hills in their usual summer gold and green to the north.

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