Wildfire losses inspire changes in avocado orchards
Lessons learned from destructive wildfires in Ventura County have given avocado growers a fighting chance to save their orchards when the next big blaze hits. … The losses of trees and production from fires dating back to the mid-1990s have Ventura County ranchers—especially those on hillsides in burn-prone areas—considering establishing reservoirs to hold water year-round. Brokaw Ranch Co. in Santa Paula keeps two reservoirs filled. They are gravity-driven and can deliver water even when the electrical power goes out, ranch manager Nathan Lurie said. Whether it’s a fire or a heat wave, the reservoirs give Lurie “ownership and flexibility” on when and how the water gets used, he added.
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