2000 years old
Forest fire in Yosemite National Park threatens giant sequoias
STORY: In Yosemite National Park, California, firefighters and national park staff continue to battle a wildfire that is also threatening many of the world’s oldest trees. Several hundred hectares of forest and bush land have been burning in the region since Friday. National Park Service officials have installed sprinkler systems to protect the redwoods, some of which are thousands of years old. About 1600 visitors had to leave the park because of the fire. No injuries have been reported so far, authorities said. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
There has been a fire in Yosemite National Park in California since Friday. The fire brigade and park administration are trying to protect trees that are thousands of years old from the flames – sprinkler systems are also used to do this.
A forest fire that has been raging for days in Yosemite National Park in California is threatening giant sequoias that grow there. The fire near the Mariposa Grove redwood forest has spread to 644 hectares and has not yet been contained, reports Yosemite National Park. 360 firefighters are fighting the flames and taking protective measures for the “Grizzly Giant”, the most famous and second largest giant sequoia in the national park, and other sequoias.
500 giant sequoias threatened in Yosemite National Park
More than 500 giant sequoias grow in the Mariposa Grove alone. Trees threatened by the forest fire were sprayed with water as a precaution. An investigation has been launched into the fire. Fire departments in the United States fear particularly severe forest fires in 2022. “I’m predicting some very tough four, five, six months,” said Orange County Fire Chief Brian Fennessy.
Global warming exacerbates the situation
The giant sequoias, also called sequoias, are the largest trees in the world. Their relatives, the California redwoods, can grow even taller at over 100 meters, but are not as large in diameter as the giant sequoias. During their thousands of years of lifespan, sequoia trees repeatedly experience forest fires. The heat of the fire helps open their cones and disperse the seeds. However, longer, hotter and more aggressive fires, which are becoming more frequent as a result of global warming, can damage trees beyond repair. In 2020, about 10,000 sequoias died in a huge fire. That was up to 14 percent of the global population.