Parma Park Hike, Santa Barbara

Parma Park hiking area is nestled within the epicenter of the Tea fire in Fall 2008. The fire began in the Tea Garden above Westmont College. It swept through the surrounding foothills and eventually jumped one of the local freeways.

Nearly one year later and the coastal sage scrub is adapting to life by the Pacific Ocean.

New shoots of leaves sprouted from the charred oak trunks.

Burnt bark split under new growth.

Even some of the locals are coming back to hang out.

Now that the overgrowth and the scrub had been burnt along with many of the native resinous chaparral plants small native flowers can spring up in the sun.

Some of these wildflowers may have not bloomed in years.