 Wildfires caused the worst damage due to the Mediterranean climate of long, hot and dry summers which turned fires into infernos, leaving behind burned and bare hillsides, resulting in erosion and flooding during the rainy season.Among the different species of trees Lukens studied, the knobcone pine was the best choice he believed, for its fire-resistant properties.The cones, which are embedded in the tree, only open and release seeds after a wildfire.