San Mateo County Live Fuel Moisture Reach Critical Levels
July live fuel moisture for the CAL Fire CZU (San Mateo Santa Cruz) Unit is posted at http://www.wfas.net/index.php/
| Location | Current (%)7/22 | Previous (%)6/18 | Change |
| Hwy 35 & 92 - coyote brush | 139 | 152 | -13 |
| Pulgas - coyote brush | 107 | 132 | -25 |
| Saratoga Summit - chamise | 66 | 95 | -29 |
| new growth | 71 | 108 | -37 |
| old growth | 62 | 83 | -21 |
| Corralitos - manzanita | 73 | /a | /a |
| new growth | 74 | 130 | -56 |
| old growth | 71 | /a | /a |
Live fuel moisture levels continue to drop sharply and are at record lows for July at all of the sampling sites. Coyote brush in San Mateo County has dropped to levels normally reached in about one month from now. Manzanita and chamise in Santa Cruz County are already below the lowest levels reached in an “average” year – lower than average early fall conditions.
Manzanita at Corralitos has reached the “critical” level and Chamise at Saratoga Summit just above “critical.” For Manzanita, the critical threshold is considered 80%; for Chamise 60%. There is no established critical threshold for coyote brush. Critical live fuel moisture is defined as “the moisture content at which sustained, fast spreading, high intensity wildfires can occur.”
Learn more about Live Fuel Moisture and its importance in determining potential wildland fire behavior and relative fire danger...