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| BREAKING NEWS |
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| Written by John Saiz | Patterson Irrigator | |
| Wednesday, 25 June 2008 | |
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Wildlife refuge burns near Grayson Flames consumed about 1,000 acres of vegetation northeast of Grayson on Tuesday, mostly in the San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge. The first reports of the fire came in around 3 p.m. By 8 p.m., firefighters had the flames under control, said Patterson Fire Department and West Stanislaus Fire Protection District division chief Jeff Gregory, though it would be several hours before crews left the scene. The local Red Cross made sure emergency responders got fed that night. Vehicle access to the fire proved difficult, and the fire jumped the San Joaquin River, Gregory said, but the fire stayed manageable as dozens of firefighters battled the blaze. “We felt real confident surrounded by the levies,” Gregory said. No one reported injuries while fighting the fire. The fire started in San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge, a 6,642-acre nature preserve that is bringing back native habitats and species around the river. About 750 acres in the refuge burned, but the fire did not seriously hamper restorations efforts, said Robert Parris, deputy refuge manager. “It’s not a huge setback,” he said. He expects most of the wildlife in the refuge, which includes endangered and threatened species, escaped the fire. The animals will have less food and fewer hiding places because of the blaze, but populations should remain relatively strong, Parris said. A biologist will review the area to determine how employees will respond to the fire’s damage. Parris expects they will need to plant native grasses to deter non-native invasive species from taking root in the refuge. Workers planted much of the destroyed vegetation about four years ago, Parris said. While he expects it to return, it does delay the refuge from reaching the desired maturity level, he said. “We like to see it be 10 years before a disturbance,” Parris said. “(The fire) sets it back to year one.” A few unused structures in the refuge were destroyed, Parris said. The facilities had once been used in cattle operations, he said. An investigator with the Modesto Fire Department said the cause of the fire is still under investigation. The last fire in the refuge was in 2004 and burned about 1,700 acres, Parris said. “You have to expect these types of disturbances,” Parris said. To reach John Saiz at the Irrigator, call 892-6187 or e-mail him at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
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