"STANISLAUS NATIONAL FOREST -- Perched atop a charred ridge, scientist Brad Rust stares at a tiny bead of water -- which sits, motionless, glistening like a perfect pearl in a sea of ash."

"The soil does not absorb the droplet, it repels it -- a finding that tells Rust and his colleagues that fierce winter rains could rush down these hillsides burned barren in the 260,000-acre Rim Fire, flushing dirt, rocks and ash from one of California's most pristine watersheds.

With only weeks before the onset of storm season, the race is on to study, repair and restore the damage from the blaze that began Aug. 17, but won't be contained until Oct. 1 and will likely be fully extinguished only by winter's rain and snow."

Lisa M. Krieger reports for the San Jose Mercury News September 21, 2013. [2]