Eastbay,
I see your point, only you are refering to natural fires, while I was refering to the firepits that peopple build for campfires and scar the rocks with black burn marks that take a long time to disapear. I understand the benefit of natural burns every now and then, however a scorched landscape still brings me sadness till it starts to resprout.
Catees, Thanks for your post. Hope that we may meet one day if not at these hot springs at some other skinny dipping spot somewhere in CA. I try and go up to some location north of Sacramento at least once a year. love Ron.