Crews working to protect giant Sequoias from fire.
A wildfire in Yosemite National Park in California, after growing five-fold over the weekend, is threatening some of the world’s oldest giant sequoia trees. By Sunday evening, the fire had burned across at least 2,044 acres.
The blaze has forced the closure of Mariposa Grove, home to more than 500 giant sequoias, as firefighters and park crews work to save the iconic trees, some of which are thought to be more than 2,000 years old.
“They’re using a combination of removing fuel around the base of the trees and they’re putting in sprinklers to change the humidity around the base of the trees,” Jay Nichols, a spokesperson for the interagency fire response team in the park, said.
Weather conditions will not help, as the forecast is hot and dry through at least the end of the week. The wildfire season in the Western United States has become worse due to the multi-year drought in the region.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For wisdom for U.S. Forest Service officials as they seek to prevent wildfires.
- For Director Chuck Sams as he heads the National Parks Service.
- For the safety of the firefighters as they work to save the Sequoias and contain the blaze.
Sources: CNN, Axios, NBC News
