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Discussion on fire fuels and maintenance in Prospect Park

1:50:20

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Council Member Robert F. Holden inquires about the factors that fueled the fire in Prospect Park and discusses the importance of maintenance in preventing and controlling fires in natural areas. Leila Mougoui Bakhtiari from Prospect Park Alliance responds to his questions.

Holden emphasizes the role of maintenance in controlling fire spread, even if drought conditions can't be controlled.
Bakhtiari acknowledges the importance of proper maintenance in natural areas, including removing leaf litter from paths and managing biodiversity.
They discuss the balance between leaving dead trees for habitat purposes and managing potential fire risks.

Robert F. Holden

1:50:20

Regarding Prospect Park, in that area, how what fuels the fire?

1:50:27

That means, like, I I would assume dead trees, fallen trees, dry wood.

1:50:33

Does that was that the case in this situation?

1:50:48

I know.

1:50:48

We can't control that, but we can control maintenance.

1:50:52

Which if if we had the additional resources, we can remove like, what fuels the fire or makes it worse or makes it spread, you know, with because of lack of maintenance?

1:51:04

That's what that's my question, really.

1:51:20

Or the you know, again, what does like, thinning the tree, canopy or having a break so it doesn't spread, you know, things like that, which they tried in LA and it it didn't work.

1:51:31

But I understand when when this is a drought, that's understand that we can't control that.

1:51:36

But we can control the spread of fire if we figure it out.

1:51:40

You know, that'd be you know you know, so maintenance is very important, I would assume.

1:51:45

Because, we have Forest Park, and it was in my district.

1:51:49

And, you know, you go in there, and there's a lot of dead trees.

1:51:52

Mhmm.

1:51:52

There's trees that have fallen that are left for years.

1:51:55

I'm just wondering if that could contribute.

1:51:58

And we didn't, you know, we didn't really have a widespread fire there, but it's possible.

Leila Mougoui Bakhtiari

1:50:38

It was.

1:50:38

But also October, as it was mentioned multiple times, was the driest October 2nd driest October in history of New York City.

1:50:46

So pretty much

1:50:51

Yes.

1:51:06

Yeah.

1:51:06

And I think inside natural areas is the proper maintenance of of those natural areas and, you know, outside on the trails and access and removing leaf off the paths.

1:52:03

Dead trees that that fall usually are are left because they're habitat for, you know, for both pollinators and for animals, and they disintegrate.

1:52:15

But you are right that maintenance of, of the landscape, of making sure the correct biodiversity and correct plants are there, that the layers are all healthy.

1:52:27

And the unwanted very flammable plants like mugwort and fragrances that was, discussed are there.

Daniel Abram

1:52:33

Okay.

1:52:33

Thank you.

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Testimony by Deaunte Johnson, Policy Fellow at New York League of Conservation Voters