Coping with fire, rain and sudden ‘downburst’

“I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain. I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end.”

What’s a gardener to do?

Dry lightning – thousands of strikes in just 24 hours – sparked wildfires in the Sierra foothills, burning more than 13,000 acres and counting. Those flames have brought thick haze to Sacramento and the Central Valley, graying the skies with smoke.

Wildfire has become all too common for late summer in the Sacramento area. But this week, we got rain and wind to go with the fire and smoke.

On Tuesday morning, violent weather hit upper Carmichael with force. A sudden “downburst” smacked parts of Sacramento County with torrential rain and high winds that knocked down dozens of trees and broke branches off many others. At first glance, it looked like a tornado had plowed along Manzanita Avenue – except all the downed trees fell in the same direction.

After the fast-moving storm moved on to the Sierra, triple-digit heat returned to remind us – it’s still summer (and very sunny). The rain that fell Tuesday dried in a flash.

This extreme weather affects plants as well as people. Although September in Sacramento averages about a half inch of rain, Tuesday’s intense thunderstorm was a rarity. Toppled trees are much more likely right after New Year’s Day, not Labor Day.

But our urban forest has coped with years of drought stress; those downed trees are more proof of their continued struggles.

The good news: The heat is starting to subside. According to the National Weather Service, temperatures are already starting to come down. The forecast for this coming Saturday in Sacramento is 86 degrees – average for September.

Part of the comedown in temperatures is due to all that haze; the smoke is lowering temperatures. But smoke has its own garden side effects. Poor air quality makes it difficult to breathe. (To check your local air quality, go to: http://airnow.gov .)

Temperatures may be lower, but the air and fuel (dry grasses and brush) are still extremely dry. All it takes is a spark. A metal blade of a lawnmower or trimmer against a rock can ignite dry grass. A vehicle parked on dry grass or weeds can start a fire, too. So can a chain dragging from the back of a trailer. Use extra caution.

As for the hazy skies, tomatoes, peppers and other ripening vegetables could be dusted with fine particulate matter. Make sure to wash anything you harvest before eating. (No backyard cherry tomato-munching right off the vine.)

Spider mites love these dry, hazy, dusty conditions. Take out the hose and give your tomato vines and rose bushes a morning shower; that will knock mites off and refresh plants.

So far, there hasn’t been enough smoke in our area to worry about smoke taint, the absorption of smoke flavors through the skin of ripening fruit. But that could be an issue for grape and fruit growers closer to the fires in Calaveras County.

As we know from fire seasons past, conditions can change dramatically in a hurry. It’s better to be prepared.

For tips: https://www.readyforwildfire.org/.