chaparral

Lisa Phillips, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard, said current low moisture levels in the area’s live chaparral vegetation are not usually seen until July.

Instead, says Forest Service silviculturist Dana Walsh, they’ve been replaced by thick mats of chaparral, a fire-prone shrub that has squeezed out the forest’s return.

The blows of the ax, off in the chaparral, were louder in their ears now, and they could hear a mumble of voices.

Both boys were so hard at work that they did not notice the sound of voices had died out in the chaparral.

"Oh, he's chasing a two-legged rat through the chaparral," answered the fat boy carelessly.

Under his pony's bridle he had tucked some sprigs of chaparral to keep away the deer flies.

The impetuous Gila rolled along its yellowish stream between two banks clothed with wood and thick chaparral.