A fire in California that threatens some of the oldest living organisms on Earth spread over the weekend, dangerously approaching the iconic Giant Forest of Sequoia National Park, with firefighters trying to protect the trees.
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The National Park Service said Monday that the KNP Complex fire has burned nearly 24,000 acres — a huge jump from last Wednesday, when the fire had burned about 5,000 acres. Steep terrain and dangerous conditions mean the blaze is burning completely out of control. According to Inciweb, low humidity levels have allowed the fire to remain “active.” Although “cooler and wetter conditions” developed in the area on Monday, the cold front has also brought stronger winds, meaning the fire could spread further.
The KNP Complex fire is ripping through the western part of Sequoia National Park and threatening the edges of the park's Giant Forest, home to 8,000 sequoia trees. That includes the 2,300-year-old General Sherman, one of the oldest and largest living things in the world, measuring 103 feet (31 meters) across and 275 feet (84 meters) high. The European Union's Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service released a satellite image Monday showing the extent of the fire as of Saturday. The images show how close the edge of the fire is to the Giant Forest.
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Last week, park staff tried to protect General Sherman and other redwoods by wrapping the trees in a special layer of foil that can help repel fire. The NPS said the fires reached the edge of the Giant Forest on Friday. Some firefighters working to wrap the trees in foil and clear debris from their bases had to leave because the fire was getting closer, a park spokesman told the AP. But they were able to return and continue efforts to control the unruly flames.
Information source: gizmodo.com
