Wildfires surrounding California’s sequoia groves spread to almost 40,000 acres

Xinhua News Agency

LOS ANGELES – Two huge wildfires, the Windy and KNP Complex fires, burning around the Sequoia National Forest and the Sequoia National Park in U.S. state California, spread to 18,075 acres (73.1 square km) and 21,777 acres (88.1 square km) respectively on Sunday (Sept. 19).

A statement released by the Sequoia National Park on Saturday (Sept. 18) said the KNP Complex reached the Four Guardsmen in the Giant Forest. The Giant Forest is the home of over 2,000 giant sequoias, including the General Sherman Tree – the world’s largest tree by volume. The Four Guardsmen is a colonnade of four giant sequoias located near the south gate of the forest.

But the statement added that “fuel removal efforts by firefighters, combined with structure wrap applied by crews to the base of the iconic sequoia trees, successfully protected these national treasures.”

The blazes swirling around California’s giant sequoia trees prompted more evacuations Sunday as they spread toward communities surrounding the forests, while the authority warned that the fires would remain active throughout the night.

The historic sequoia trees in the Sierra Nevada mountains, which are thousands of years old and grew to be hundreds of feet tall, were increasingly threatened by drought, climate change, and extreme fire. Last year, the Castle Fire wiped out 10 percent of the world’s native sequoias, according to the National Park Service. (Xinhua)

Popular

TD Bising intensifies; Wind Signal No. 1 up in extreme Northern Luzon

By Brian Campued Tropical Depression Bising slightly intensified over the sea west of extreme Northern Luzon, the state weather bureau said Friday. In its 11:00 a.m....

WALANG PASOK: Class suspensions for July 4 due to heavy rains

Classes in the following areas have been suspended on Friday, July 4, due to the impact of the southwest monsoon (habagat) and the...

PBBM to study DILG Sec. Remulla’s request to declare class suspensions

By Brian Campued Malacañang on Thursday assured Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Sec. Jonvic Remulla that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will...

WALANG PASOK: Class suspensions for July 3 due to inclement weather

Classes in the following areas have been suspended on Thursday, July 3, due to the impact of the southwest monsoon (habagat) and the...