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Smoke exposure from wildfires is an increasingly common public health hazard to communities throughout California. Knowing where to find accurate information and being prepared to act when smoke is in the air can help you protect yourself and your family.
The South Coast bioregion contains the eastwest-running Transverse Range and the northsouth-oriented Peninsular Range. Except for the alpine zone, both ranges have a full complement of montane zones. Elevations extend from sea level to over 3,500 m (11,400 ft).
The southeastern portion of the state is extremely arid. Except for isolated desert mountains, rainfall is 25 cm (10 in). Portions of the Mojave and Sonoran warm deserts, and the southwestern tongue of the Great Basin cold desert comprise the Southeastern Deserts bioregion.
The Sierra Nevada and Cascade Ranges form an axis of high mountains east of the Central Valley and Klamath Mountains. The Southern Cascade Range bioregion is the southern end of an extensive chain of volcanoes and volcanic flows extending northward from Oregon and Washington.
The Central Valley bioregion is a wide, flat, low-elevation trough of sediments bounded by the Coast Ranges to the west and Sierra Nevada to the east. The northern part is drained by the Sacramento River; and the southern part, by the San Joaquin and Kern Rivers and their tributaries.
The Central Coast bioregion is an area of transition between the bioregions to the north and south. Ridge tops are generally less than 1,200 m (3,800 ft) in elevation, but a few peaks rise up to 1,800 m (5,700 ft).
The North Coast bioregion supports north coastal scrub and prairie, north coast pine forest, and Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) forest on the immediate coast.
The Klamath Mountains are characterized by steep, complex topography dissected by a number of large river valleys. The area is noted for its exceptionally rich flora, which results from several factors.
The Southern Cascades is characterized by volcanic peaks interspersed with more gentle slopes and topographic features. Vegetation is strongly influenced by topography and substrate (Parker 1991). Open woodlands comprised of blue oak (Quercus douglasii), interior live oak (Q.
