Charred Split Rail Fence, Angel Island, 2011.

 On October 12, 2008, a campfire-caused wildfire raged on Angel Island, burning about 250 acres, or a third of the island. The fire created a glow that I remember seeing when I was on the way to see a friend play a gig. I looked west on Van Ness Avenue and saw only this yellow glow, unable to see over a hill to the Bay. I thought it strange that so late on a Sunday evening, some event in the distance was creating a glow bright enough to be seen from afar. I couldn't tell where it was coming from -- but normally, night events generating lots of light also generate lots of noise.

I found out the next day that it was this wildfire. Having only been in SF for a month then, I was missing out on prescribed fire season happening for my old coworkers in Chicago. So somehow I felt almost like I'd missed out twice.

Upon visiting Angel Island a few weeks ago, I looked for clues of fire across the landscape. I don't know enough about the vegetative ecology of the site before this fire, so I couldn't pick up on much. Mostly charred bark on the downwind sides of trees and still black, gnarled branches of coyote brush. But this one was pretty clear. I found it interesting how the fire had burned this split rail fence enough to destroy the supporting portion of a few horizontal pieces, making them fall out of the slots in the vertical posts. 

Since the State Park budget is in the tank, this fence may remain in this forlorn state for a while. Maybe it's not forlorn as long as it still tells a story. In fact, it tells a better story than it did when it was new.