CSUN students collect Post Wildfire samples at Hungry Valley State Recreation Area
By: Jonathan-Dale Johnson (Env. Science Undergrad) and Marlene Lopez (Geology Undergrad)
The Post Wildfire began on June 15, 2024, scorching 10,000+ acres in Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area near Gorman, CA, as well as over 5,000 acres within the Los Padres and Angeles National Forests. After almost two weeks of efforts by emergency responders, the fire was contained on June 28th. Although Hungry Valley remains closed due to damage, a team of CSUN researchers was able to access the park on July 2nd – days after containment – thanks to the generosity of Mr. Luis De Vera, a CSUN alum who works for California State Parks.
The CSUN contingent included students and alumni from both the Geology and Geography departments as well as Dr. Amali Orme, a fluvial geomorphologist who runs CSUN’s drone lab. Mr. De Vera, who is a GIS and remote sensing specialist, provided a detailed map of the burn zone and began the day with a presentation about the extent of the Post Fire.
With maps in hand, the research group set out to visit two distinct sampling sites: a relatively flat open area and a riparian habitat. The scene at both sites was surreal due to the scale of destruction. Previously vegetated land was replaced by a barren landscape with smokey, ash-filled air, burned roots, charred trees, and the remnants of dead wildlife, including unidentified animal bones which were collected for further analysis.
Dr. Orme provided expertise identifying ideal spots for soil and sediment sampling, emphasizing areas enriched with oils from burned vegetation. She also taught students how to estimate heat intensity by root survivability. The group sampled soil and ash on the downhill side of a burned tree to investigate the presence of natural oils and to document the movement of soil in subsequent sampling events. Sediment samples were also collected from a dry creek bed. Details such as location, time, and weather conditions were documented, with graduate students teaching undergraduate participants how to collect soil and sediments for the analyses of trace metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Dr. Orme’s research team used drones to survey the area and collect data via remote sensing.
Marlene Lopez, a rising sophomore and member of CSUN’s Water Science Group, recounted her first field experience with awe:
“Standing there, surrounded by only charred trees and the smell of choke-inducing smoke felt so unworldly, but being able to experience that, especially when it was my first time being in the field collecting samples, is truly remarkable.”
Jonathan-Dale Johnson, a rising senior who is also affiliated with the Water Science Group, was shocked by what he witnessed:
“Driving around the park made the massive scale of the fire really sink in; almost every corner visible to us was covered in burned remains of what used to be thriving fauna and flora.”
The Water Science Program is grateful to Mr. De Vera for inviting CSUN researchers to participate in this sampling event. Walking the fire-scorched land within days of the disaster was a life-altering experience for many of the participants. Additionally, the collected samples will advance CSUN’s ongoing research into the environmental impacts of wildfires.
