Chaparral is a shrubland plant community found primarily in California, southern Oregon, and northern Baja California, part of the California floristic province. It is shaped by a Mediterranean climate and infrequent, high-intensity crown fires. Many chaparral shrubs have hard sclerophyllous evergreen leaves, in contrast to the soft-leaved, drought-deciduous, coastal sage scrub that is often found on drier, southern-facing slopes.