On Jan. 21, the Catalina Island Conservancy presented to the Avalon City Council on the proactive efforts it takes to mitigate wildfire risk across the 42,000 acres it protects.
Though no amount of planning could fully withstand a firestorm fueled by hurricane-force winds like the Palisades and Eaton fires, the Catalina Island Conservancy works year-round with the Los Angeles County Fire Department, Avalon City Fire, Southern California Edison, elected officials and key partners to reduce fire risk.
In 2024 alone, brush was removed across more than 700 acres, 150 acres of highly flammable invasive species were treated and 350 miles of roads were maintained—roads that act as critical firebreaks and ensure emergency personnel can respond effectively. Our rangers serve as the first line of detection, reporting fires directly to Los Angeles County authorities. Eleven staff members, including rangers, have been trained as wildland firefighters, equipped to assist under county fire leadership. The Conservancy also provides bulldozers, water tanks and trucks for fire suppression and requires leaseholders of campgrounds and coves to maintain county-mandated defensible space that acts as cleared buffer zones to reduce wildfire risk.
While these efforts help reduce immediate threats, science clearly shows that long-term wildfire resilience depends on restoring the island’s ecosystem to naturally protect itself. Overgrazing—first by livestock and feral animals, then later by feeding habits of invasive deer—has degraded soil and vegetation, increasing erosion and reducing the Island’s natural fire resistance. Unlike mainland deer, Catalina’s population is not native, has no predators and cannot migrate. Our island ecosystem is especially vulnerable to deer because native plants have not adapted or evolved to resist herbivores, making Catalina more prone to losing habitat.
Some have suggested alternative fire management strategies. A recent letter to the editor in this newspaper proposed that the Conservancy purchase and maintain firefighting helicopters and cited a nearly 20-year-old memo from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW).
While aerial suppression is critical, it will always fall under Los Angeles County Fire Department’s jurisdiction, just as the City of Avalon’s Fire Department manages citywide fire response. The Conservancy’s role in fire prevention is to support county and city efforts through land management, access and logistical assistance.
Avalon narrowly escaped disaster in May 2007 when a wind-driven wildfire forced evacuations and came dangerously close to homes. Catalina’s steep terrain, historic wooden structures and tourism-based economy make it especially vulnerable to wildfires. While the 2007 memo from CDFW provides historical context, it no longer reflects today’s reality. In recent decades, wildfire threats have escalated dramatically due to accelerating climate change and increasingly unpredictable weather patterns. The devastating Los Angeles fires of January 2025 underscore how extreme fire conditions have become, reinforcing the urgent need for proactive land management.
Further understanding of deer browsing’s impact on Catalina’s recovery followed the 2007 Island Fire with independent studies and research by scientists. Simply put, in fenced-off areas, only 11% of re-sprouting woody plants died—compared to 88% in deer-exposed areas. Deer browsing habits on young trees has reduced the island’s tree canopy by 93% in peer-reviewed studies, weakening erosion control and habitat stability. Deer feeding habits have also created space for highly flammable invasive grasses to grow—known as “one-hour fuels”—that dry out and burn quickly.
This grass now covers over 35% of the island, making it more vulnerable to catastrophic fires.
This loss of native vegetation has cascading effects. The mule deer’s preference for native shrubs and seedlings disrupts habitat for key species, including the Hutton’s vireo, Catalina California quail, and the island’s ambassador, the Catalina Island fox. Once a vibrant sea of blue in the springtime from California lilac, our island has lost much of its native vegetation, shifting toward a more fire-prone future.
To address these challenges, the Conservancy launched the Catalina Island Restoration Project in 2024, focusing on habitat restoration, plant regeneration and species management. By restoring native vegetation and removing invasive species, Catalina will be better equipped to combat climate change and reduce wildfire risk. Nearly 50 environmental organizations, agencies and elected officials support this critical initiative.
We encourage dialogue and invite residents to our next Last Friday Lecture—a community conversation on wildfire preparation, held from 6-7:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 28, at the Trailhead Visitor Center (708 Crescent Ave, Avalon, CA 90704), 2nd Floor Gallery.
Catalina Island is the last of the Channel Islands—including those extending into Mexico—to take bold action against invasive species. Let’s not wait for disaster to prove the cost of inaction.
Whitney Latorre
President and CEO, Catalina Island Conservancy
