As I described in my previous post, Burning Cattails, cattails were subjected to a controlled burn at Tres Rios Wetlands in Phoenix last Saturday. I returned there three days later to take a look at the aftermath of the fire.
The photo above shows the gazebo that is in the center of the cattail basin and so was at the center of the fire. The fireman cleared that area of cattails before the burn and kept the gazebo from damage during the burn. When the fire was extinguished, the basin was flooded as shown in the photos below.
Ron Elkins, Phoenix Water Services Department Operations and Maintenance Supervisor with responsibility for Tres Rios explained, “The burn was to deter growth by damaging existing foliage with the heat and then drowning the shoots before they can go into winter dormancy. This effects the growth cycle of the spring rush when the plant uses it’s reserves to push up new stalks. Hopefully when spring comes around the plant densities will be slightly less than current conditions.”
See previous posts about Tres Rios:
Wandering Tres Rios Wetlands
Bobcats At Tres Rios Wetlands
Burning Cattails
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November 13th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
Beautiful pictures Dick. What a lovely place. Hard to imagine that this area is here in the desert!
November 13th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
It is definitely right here in the desert, Rhonda, and it offers a glimpse of what was once along the river.