A wildfire threatening giant redwoods in Yosemite National Park doubled in size in one day and forced firefighters to battle in difficult terrain to protect iconic trees and a small mountain town on Sunday (10:07:2022) as the United States faces another very active year in firefighting.
Campers and residents near the fire were evacuated, but the rest of this sprawling Californian park remained open, though the intense smoke hid the panoramic views and created unhealthy air quality.
“Today is the most smoky day we’ve ever seen,” said Nancy Phillipe, a spokeswoman for information on the Yosemite Fire. “Until this morning, the park hasn’t been in that unhealthy category, but that’s where we’re at now,” he explained.
More than 500 mature redwoods were threatened in the famous Mariposa Grove, but there were no reports of serious damage to any of the trees, including the 3,000-year-old Grizzly Giant.
Sprinkler system kept logs safe
A sprinkler system installed in the grove kept tree trunks safe and officials were hopeful that the constant spraying of water would be enough to keep the flames at bay, Phillipe added.
The cause of the fire that had grown to nearly 6.7 square kilometers on Sunday morning was being investigated.
Beyond the trees, the wawona community, which is surrounded by parks, was threatened, and people were ordered to leave the place. In addition, some 600 to 700 people staying at the Wawona campsite in tents, cabins and a historic hotel were ordered to leave.
Giant redwoods, native to only about 70 groves scattered across the western slope of California’s Sierra Nevada mountain range, are considered immune to flames, but have become increasingly vulnerable due to the accumulation of weeds in more than a century of fire suppression and drought exacerbated by climate change that have made them more intense and destructive.
Wildfires sparked by lightning over the past two years have killed up to a fifth of the 75,000 large redwoods, which are the largest trees by volume and one of the main attractions of that national park.
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