On the Russian River, a slow road to good fire
Ukiah Fire Chief Doug Hutchison knew what kind of hassle the city was getting into by acquiring some 763 acres of overgrown, fire-starved forest on the city’s western edge—but it seemed worth it. There, Doolin Creek’s two forks merge and run through a steep canyon, eventually heading straight through the city and emptying into the Russian River. Steelhead trout, which swim most of the way up the Russian River’s 110 miles to spawn in its tributaries, and year-round resident native fishes like sculpins and roaches, are kept cool by big trees shading the creek. California nutmeg, fragrant like sandalwood, has been spotted here, and spiky chinquapin. Also, the manzanita and chamise are so thick in places that it’s hard to walk through. If a big hot fire rolled through here, it would be very bad for the wildlife, the forest, and the community. The city has taken on the property to mitigate those fire risks and protect the watershed.
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