Firefighters in California are working tirelessly to protect a historic grove of giant sequoia trees from the Garnet fire, which is spreading through Fresno County. The fire, ignited by lightning on August 24, reached McKinley Grove on Monday, threatening approximately 170 sequoias, some of which are estimated to be 2,000 years old, according to the U.S. Forest Service and Save the Redwoods.
Fire crews have taken several precautions to protect these ancient trees. They have installed a 24-hour sprinkler system around the grove and cleared heavy fuel buildup from the area. Despite these efforts, some spot fires have been reported north of McKinley Grove Road. Specialized firefighters, known as smokejumpers, have been deployed to climb affected trees and extinguish embers.
As of Monday evening, the Garnet fire had burned 54,925 acres and was only 14% contained. The Forest Service reported that most of the fire’s growth occurred in the northern areas. Crews are using strategic firing, heavy equipment, and fire hoses to bolster containment lines. Three Chinook helicopters capable of night operations have also been brought in to support the firefighting efforts.
Evacuation orders and warnings are in place across parts of the Sierra National Forest, and air quality has been affected, with the National Weather Service issuing a dense smoke advisory for the region. Officials emphasize that the coming days will be critical in determining whether the sequoias in McKinley Grove can survive this fire season. Since 2015, nearly 20% of mature giant sequoias have been lost to increasingly intense wildfires.
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