Erosion Fear : L.A. to Reseed Charred Areas Above Homes

Los Angeles parks workers will plant ryegrass to reduce chances of erosion and mudslides in areas of Porter Ranch and Granada Hills charred by fire, but they will not replant the hillsides of O’Melveny Park, parks officials said Friday.

The city will sow rye seeds next week on 1 to 2 acres above residential areas burned in the Dec. 9 fire because it does not want to risk mudslides while the vegetation returns naturally, said Patrick Kennedy, a senior maintenance supervisor for the Recreation and Parks Department.

The 714 acres of O’Melveny Park, known for its pristine native vegetation, chaparral and grasslands, will be allowed to regenerate naturally, Kennedy said. The park was almost entirely burned during the fire.

Kennedy said the city wanted to avoid seeding the park with ryegrass, which is most often used for regeneration after fires but is not native to Southern California. He said surveys of park and environmental experts concluded that the area would regenerate naturally because a large amount of native seeds and root systems survived the fire.

Last week, Los Angeles County officials determined that it would not be necessary to plant rye seed on any of the county land that was burned.

Minor Runoff Problems

Kennedy said authorities believe that there will be little danger of extensive erosion or mudslides during the recovery process. During heavy rains in the weeks since the fire, there have been only minor water runoff problems, he said.

Officials said the natural grass in the park will begin to return in 1 to 3 months, while chaparral can take up to 3 years.

Kennedy said the city can’t risk the same lengthy regeneration process on land adjoining residential areas in Aliso Canyon and above Porter Ridge Park.

The ryegrass, which can provide ground cover within a month, will die out within 3 years, leaving only native vegetation, according to proponents of its use.

“This will have a Band-Aid effect around the homes in the immediate fire zone,” Kennedy said. “I wouldn’t say the homes are in danger unless we have a torrential type of rain.”

Aliso Canyon runs behind a Porter Ranch neighborhood in which 36 homes were destroyed or damaged by the fire.

The Dec. 9 fire of unknown origin damaged or destroyed 40 homes and burned 3,200 acres of brush and grassland as it moved from above O’Melveny Park to the Porter Ranch neighborhood, then north into the Santa Susana Mountains, where it was extinguished a day later.