The “Hughes Fire”: an ecological emergency for soils and an erosion crisis

On January 22, 2025, the Hughes Fire broke out north of Los Angeles, USA. The fire quickly spread over 8,000 acres (about 32 square kilometers) in just a few hours. The soil was also greatly damaged after the fires. The high temperatures caused the organic matter in the soil to be burned up, the soil structure was altered, and the ability to retain water and fertilizer was drastically reduced. This will lead to subsequent difficulties in land restoration and regrowth of vegetation. In addition, as the vegetation was burned, the land was deprived of the protection of vegetation, which is highly susceptible to soil erosion during rainfall.