The Tassajara Fire (also known as the Kirk Complex Fire) burned through the northern Los Padres National Forest, traditional home to the Esselen Tribe, for over two months, and the forest was closed. The Esselen Tribe's traditional businesses of trail rides, packtrips, and expediditions into the wilderness, as well as traditional cultural uses of the area, were all curtailed.

The forest, though closed for months, was not devastated. The following photographs, taken on November 13-14, 1999, show areas which have been burned, but they also show many areas which were not affected. Most of the burning just cleared away brush, a traditional Native American practice for thousands of years. In a few areas the brush and deadwood were thick enough, or the fire was fanned by winds, and some of the larger trees were lost.

Overall, as these photographs show, the forest was not devastated. New growth began coming back quickly, thanks to several gentle rains.

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Pine Ridge, Ventana Wilderness, November 13-14, 1999.

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A Tunnel in the Brush Is Finally Opened Up.
Pine Ridge Trail, Ventana Wilderness, November 13-14, 1999.

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Trail Through Pine Valley, Ventana Wilderness, November 13-14, 1999.

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Trail Through Pine Valley, Ventana Wilderness, April 14, 2003.
This is the same area as shown in the preceeding photograph.

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Fire Damage on the Pine Ridge Trail, Ventana Wilderness, November 13-14, 1999.

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Grass Returning to the Meadow in Pine Valley,
Ventana Wilderness, November 13-14, 1999.

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From the Pine Ridge Trail, Ventana Wilderness, November 13-14, 1999.

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Unless there is a large buildup of fuel, the larger trees are not harmed.
Ventana Wilderness, November 13-14, 1999.

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Regrowth on the Pine Ridge Trail, Ventana Wilderness, November 13-14, 1999.

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Regrowth on the Pine Ridge Trail, Ventana Wilderness, November 13-14, 1999.

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Photographs by Trudy Haversat and Gary S. Breschini.
Copyright 1999 & 2003 by T. Haversat and G.S. Breschini. All rights reserved.