Fire and chaparral management at the chaparral/urban interface

large or fast-moving, nor was it a disaster for the native chaparral ecosystem. Yet it was disastrous for residents of the area, a consequence of unrestricted urban development in the chaparral of Southern California. Its costs included human suffering and financial loss from the destruction of 484 of 2,300 homes. Since that time fire-fighting techniques have improved and ordinances have been enacted to increase clearance around structures and to encourage the use of non-flammable roofing materials. Yet within the origi-nal fire perimeter there are now 3,500 structures of aver-age value greater than $1.3 million, and the chaparral has flourished to the point where it can spread a destruc-tive fire once more. Another disaster is in the making. Chaparral is adapted to recurrent fire, and burning,