Community News 11/14/08
Dishman Hills blooms from the ashes of Valley View fire
By Craig Howard
News Editor

As he walks through the charred forest spotted with blackened pine trees, Michael Hamilton sounds optimistic.

Nearly four months ago, the Valley View fire swept through 1,200 acres of this sloping land south of Appleway Road, destroying 11 homes and scorching a once-flourishing terrain known for its abundance of Ponderosa pine trees and some 300 varieties of flowering plants.

Investigators later determined that embers from a recreational fire – started three days prior to the July 10 blaze – had been stirred up by high winds, causing the initial spark.

Signs of greenery are beginning to appear in portions of the Dishman Hills Natural Area damaged by the Valley View fire back in July. The 1,200-acre blaze impacted around 50 acres in the southern section of the Natural Area. Photo by: Craig Howard

Each month, Hamilton composes a newsletter which spotlights various aspects of the Dishman Hills Natural Area, a 530-acre forestland overseen by the Spokane Parks and Recreation Department, the Washington Department of Natural Resources and the Dishman Hills Natural Area Association.

In the July issue of “Lights and Shadows from the Dishman Hills,” Hamilton described the conditions that led to the Valley View fire – strong winds, low humidity, hot temperatures and human irresponsibility.

“This fire didn’t have to happen,” he said.

Hamilton applauded the efforts of fire crews who worked around the clock to keep the flames from spreading. Firefighters from all over the region rushed to the Spokane Valley to lend support. All in all, some 50 agencies sent reinforcement.

“Those who were here fighting the fire really did an amazing job,” Hamilton said.

The blaze itself began about 1.5 miles west of the Dishman Hills and ended up seriously burning some 25 acres of the Natural Area. Another 25 acres was also impacted by the blaze, though most of the trees in that section were spared.

“That’s not bad considering this was a 1,200-acre fire with many millions of dollars in damage,” Hamilton said.

While much of the area still resembles a charcoal wasteland, those with an investment in this land are working hard to bring life back. Some are rebuilding homes, while others, like Hamilton, are reseeding the soil in hopes of nourishing the bruised ecosystem.

“We want to restore the forest,” Hamilton said.

At the end of July, DNR organized a meeting attended by those who had been impacted by the fire. Around 100 people – including members of the DHNAA – showed up to talk about issues like erosion control, replanting, cleanup and forest recovery.

“The Association stands ready to join with our neighbors in the work ahead of all of us,” Hamilton wrote in the July newsletter.

The native plant population is already showing signs of resurgence. When Hamilton walked through the forest back in August, it was still mostly barren. Now, splashes of green have cropped up along the darkened floor. About a month ago, DHNAA volunteers seeded about 32 acres.

“This will be a carpet of green in the spring,” Hamilton said.

The DHNAA has discussed the possibility of planting more trees when spring arrives. A number of Ponderosa Pines, protected by a thick bark, survived the fire while some of the standing dead trees have provided a new habitat for birds and mammals returning to the area.

“We will have to be patient to see which trees survive the fire burn, beetle attack and winter to come,” Hamilton said.

While landowners spend money to clear cut the damaged forest, Hamilton and other members of the association are focusing on the regeneration of a greenspace set aside over 40 years ago by concerned residents intent on preserving the environment.

The first gathering of the group that would later become the DHNAA took place at University High School back in 1966. Over 5,000 signatures in support of conserving Dishman Hills were later presented to the Spokane

County Commissioners instigating the initial land purchase of 80 acres. Groups like the Kiwanis Club of Spokane Valley, the Spokane Audubon Society and the Valley Rotary contributed funds to the cause.