In praise of chaparral

Re “A burning problem,” editorial, April 22

Thank you for acknowledging the risk posed by excessive wildfires to California’s fragile, native shrublands, especially chaparral.

Far too often these beautiful plants have been falsely blamed for wildfires because they are viewed as “overgrown” vegetation. Nothing could be further from the truth -- it is increasing fire frequency and the resulting invasion of non-native weeds that pose the real threat. Dry annual weeds are much more flammable than native shrublands.

Large, hot and infrequent fires allow chaparral to properly recover and resist the invasion of weeds. Old-growth chaparral is one of California’s most beautiful and endangered ecosystems. It is not “brush” in need of fire.

Richard W. Halsey

Escondido

The writer is director of the California Chaparral Institute.