Irvine Ranch Conservancy making improvements to land destroyed by wildfire

The Silverado fire in late October devastated almost 12,500 acres of land in Orange County, racing across natural habitat and manmade infrastructure and sending up a plume of smoke that closed area schools.

The Irvine Ranch Conservancy has been working in spite of the pandemic to rebuild the damaged areas.

About 80% of the group’s Portola Staging Area in Trabuco Canyon was destroyed during the fire. The conservancy has been able to rebuild the area with improvements and rehabilitate the vegetation.

The group also improved the Red Rock Staging Area and will work to completely rebuild two 40-foot trail bridges and two viewing decks at the Sinks in O.C. Parks’ Limestone Canyon.

The Portola staging area was 80% destroyed by the Silverado fire. The Irvine Ranch Conservancy has been making repairs and improvements.

(Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

“The new bridges will have a concrete foundation with steel stringers and wood decking, while the new viewing decks will increase in size to allow for easier distancing and be made with a steel foundation and wood decking,” said Adam Maywhort, director of planning and infrastructure at the conservancy.

“If fire comes through this area again, the steel and concrete structuring should remain intact and the wood decking on top will be the only part that would need to be replaced,” Maywhort said.

For more information about the conservancy, visit irconservancy.org.

The Irvine Ranch Conservancy is repairing the Portola staging area largely destroyed by the Silverado fire.

(Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

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