Wednesday January 15, 2025
Los Angeles Times —
Rain might bring relief from wildfires searing Los Angeles County but could spell disaster for the only known population of Southern California steelhead trout in the Santa Monica Mountains.
The destructive Palisades fire appears to have scorched the entirety of the state and federally endangered trout’s accessible habitat in Topanga Creek, a small coastal mountain stream that drains into the Pacific Ocean. But experts say the secondary effects of the fire are what pose the biggest existential threat.
A heavy storm following a blaze can sweep massive amounts of sediment and charred material from the denuded hillsides into the water they inhabit — a death trap for creatures that can’t flee. Like fish.
“One of our biggest concerns is … losing that last population of fish,” said Kyle Evans, an environmental program manager for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The state agency is already considering a potential rescue plan. But even if the fish survive, experts say the increased frequency of wildfires in the region has lasting negative effects on aquatic life. And some believe the health of the fish is a mirror for that of our society.