Yowkwala Restoration Site - Fire Photos - August 2, 2003

Leslie Ann Rose, Senior Policy Analyst with Citizens for a Healthy Bay, visited the Yowkwala restoration site on Saturday, August 2, 2003 at 12:15 p.m to document the results of a fire that started on the property on Wednesday, July 30, 2003 about 11:00 am. Here is her log of that visit.

"Tide at +4.0 feet (approx.) and outgoing. Conditions were clear and about 69 degrees F.

The fire was approximately 0.15 miles (600-700 feet) past the end of the Tyee Marina property. Judging from the burn pattern, I believe the fire was started on the beach and not above along Marine View Drive. Logs and debris were still smoldering on Friday, August 1, 2003, and the fireboat came in that afternoon and soaked down the area. As a result, the hillside above has been scoured. Cobbles washed down by the pressure of the water pumped by the fireboat are about 2.0-2.5 feet deep and extend well down to about +6.0 MLLW. High tides and winter storms will eventually distribute this material more evenly. It is likely that this hillside will continue to slump and slide in the future, especially during periods of heavy rain and storms. The soils that remain on the upper slopes appear severely burned, are powder fine, and tend to shed rather than absorb water. The herb and grass canopy has been completely destroyed and much of the shrub canopy has been damaged by a combination of fire, heat and water pressure. Fire and erosion are normal beach-building processes and, while the fire and firefighting have moved the process ahead significantly, I did not observe anything that would likely be disastrous to the nearshore and intertidal environment of the Yowkwala restoration site. It appears as if there is little to do other than let nature take its course and recover from the damage in its own way and time.

	View from Marine View Drive. Grass, shrub and herb layer burned, exposing bare soil. Fire corridor roughly 30 feet wide. Tops of trees burned and heat-damaged. Most trunks and limbs in fair condition. Source of debris probably ‘midnight dumping’. Doubt debris was source of fire.
	Same as above. Another view.
	Approximately center of fire corridor. Photographer positioned facing away from the water with back against piling. Red diamond at top center shows appoximate place where the first two photos were shot. Water pressure from the fireboat has eroded the hillside and washed away all vegetation. Note toe at bottom of hill. Cobbles from eroded hillside beyond toe to a depth of approximately 2.5 - 3 feet.
	Immediate left of above shot. Photographer position unchanged. Note driftwood shack immediately left of fire center of fire corridor. Shrub, herb and grass layer severely heat damaged and appears to be dead.
	Next view left. Foliage of tree heat damaged, however trunk and limbs in good condition.
	Next view left.
	Immediate right of third photo above.
	Next view right. To right of red arrow, no apparent fire damage. Appears as if vegetation was scoured from slope from water pressure, most likely the fireboat.

Photos and log courtesy of Leslie Ann Rose.