Firefighters in California are racing to protect a historic grove of ancient giant sequoia trees in the Sierra National Forest as the Garnet fire continues to spread through Fresno County. The fire, which began on 24 August and was caused by lightning, reached McKinley Grove on Monday, the US Forest Service said.
The grove is home to about 170 giant sequoia trees, some estimated to be 2,000 years old, according to the non-profit Save the Redwoods. Videos released by the Forest Service show a “low intensity fire” moving through the grove, with dense smoke and orange skies. Officials said that while embers had ignited some branches, no sequoias had fully caught fire as of Monday afternoon.
Crews had taken precautions in advance, including installing a 24-hour sprinkler system around the grove and clearing heavy fuel buildup from around the trees. Despite these efforts, several spot fires became established north of McKinley Grove Road in and around the grove. Smokejumpers were called in to climb affected trees and extinguish embers.
As of Monday evening, the Garnet fire had burned 54,925 acres (22,000 hectares) and was 14% contained. Most recent growth occurred in the northern areas, where firefighters bolstered containment lines through strategic firing, heavy equipment work, and laying fire hose. Three night-capable Chinook helicopters were brought in to support night operations.
Evacuation orders and warnings have been issued across parts of the Sierra National Forest in eastern Fresno County. No structures had been reported lost as of Monday evening. Air quality has been affected, with the National Weather Service issuing a dense smoke advisory for a portion of the Sierra Nevada and nearby foothills, urging residents to protect themselves from wildfire smoke.
Fire officials told AccuWeather that the next few days would be critical in determining whether the ancient sequoias in McKinley Grove can survive another destructive fire season. According to Save the Redwoods, since 2015, nearly 20% of mature giant sequoias have perished in wildfires that are burning hotter and more intensely than ever before.
