California IN BRIEF : SAN FRANCISCO : Rains Brought Relief-and Poison Oak

The showers that brought May flowers also brought a bumper crop of poison oak to the San Francisco East Bay hills and regions of Marin County. Steve Fiala, trails coordinator for the East Bay Regional Park District, said poison oak is exceptionally hardy and will crowd out other plants when it has the opportunity. “This is one of the worst years I’ve seen in 12 years,” he said. The December freeze, coupled with late rains and the winter drought held down the competing underbrush, allowing poison oak to burst out in thick patches all over the hills.