Topline
Fire crews in Yosemite National Park are taking extreme measures this week to protect the park’s famous more than 500 giant sequoia trees as the Washburn wildfire continues to grow and threatens Mariposa Grove.
A firefighter protects a sequoia tree as the Washburn Fire burns in Mariposa Grove in Yosemite … [+]
Key Facts
Yosemite Fire and Aviation Management installed a sprinkler system around the base of the park’s famous Grizzly Giant sequoia–which at 209 feet tall is one of the largest in the world–in order to keep the surrounding ground damp, increase the area’s humidity and protect the tree from potential fire.
Crews have also used intentional fire measures, like burn lines, that let the fire move in a controlled manner that causes less damage than if the blaze were to spread in an area naturally.
The historic 19th century Galen Clark cabin located near the grove has been wrapped in a protective foil as a protection measure, Yosemite spokesperson Scott Gediman told CNN, though a Monday report from the park noted that foil is not being used to protect any of the giant sequoias.
On Monday afternoon, the blaze had spread to 2,340 acres and was 25% contained, with photos showing smoke and flames within feet of the giant sequoia trees.
While residents of nearby communities and hundreds of visitors staying in campgrounds and local accommodations were ordered to evacuate last week, the rest of the national park remained open on Monday.
Key Background
The blaze, called the Washburn Fire, was first reported on Thursday near the Washburn trail, located in the sequoia grove, according to Yosemite National Park, though the cause is still under investigation. The area of Yosemite National Park where the fire started does not feature many natural barriers that firefighters can take advantage of to stop and slow blazes. The fire jeopardizes the safety of the hundreds of sequoia trees, some of which are believed to be thousands of years old. Giant sequoias are the biggest trees on earth and native only to California, specifically on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, and are listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Fires in recent years have led to the destruction of thousands of sequoias, according to the National Park Service.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlieporterfield/2022/07/11/heres-how-california-is-protecting-yosemites-famous-sequoia-trees-from-wildfires/