Washburn Fire: Yosemite National Park’s giant sequoia grove threatened by wildfire
ByKelli Dugan, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Wildfire imperils giant sequoias In this photo released by the National Park Service, the Washburn Fire burns near the lower portion of the Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park, Calif., Thursday, July 7, 2022. (National Park Service via AP) (AP)
ByKelli Dugan, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. — Some of the world’s largest trees have been in peril since the Washburn Fire began encroaching on the largest grove of iconic giant sequoia trees in California’s Yosemite National Park on Thursday.
According to the National Park Service, the threat of flames from the wildfire led officials to close the grove Friday and order the evacuation of hundreds of people in the nearby Wawona community, USA Today reported.
To date, no injuries associated with the wildfire had been reported, the newspaper reported.
By Saturday morning, the Washburn Fire had expanded to about 1,190 acres and was threatening an estimated 500 giant sequoias, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Nancy Phillipe, a Yosemite fire information spokesperson, told USA Today that crews were dispatched Saturday to wrap the trees’ gigantic trunks with fire-resistant foil to help protect them from the fire.
Phillipe also confirmed to the newspaper that no severe damage had been detected among any of the grove’s named giant sequoias, including the 3,000-year-old Grizzly Giant.
She told the Times that Saturday crews also scraped the ground in Mariposa Grove “to bare mineral soil to try to slow the fire’s spread.”
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Wildfire imperils giant sequoias In this image released by the National Park Service, smoke from the Washburn Fire rises near the lower portion of the Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park, Calif., Thursday, July 7, 2022. Part of Yosemite National Park has been closed as a wildfire quintupled in size near a grove of California's famous giant sequoia trees, officials said. (National Park Service via AP) (AP)
Wildfire imperils giant sequoias In this photo released by the National Park Service, the Washburn Fire burns near the lower portion of the Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park, Calif., Thursday, July 7, 2022. (National Park Service via AP) (AP)
Wildfire imperils giant sequoias In this photo released by the National Park Service, smoke from the Washburn Fire rises near the lower portion of the Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park, Calif., Thursday, July 7, 2022. A portion of Yosemite National Park has been closed as a wildfire rages near a grove of California's famous giant sequoia trees, officials said. (National Park Service via AP) (AP)
Wildfire imperils giant sequoias In this photo released by the National Park Service, a firefighter sprays water on a sequoia tree near the lower portion of the Mariposa Grove as smoke rises from the Washburn Fire in Yosemite National Park, Calif., Thursday, July 7, 2022. A portion of Yosemite National Park has been closed as a wildfire rages near a grove of California's famous giant sequoia trees, officials said. (National Park Service via AP) (AP)
Wildfire imperils giant sequoias In this image released by the National Park Service, smoke rises from the Washburn Fire near the lower portion of the Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park, Calif., Friday, July 8, 2022. Part of Yosemite National Park has been closed as a wildfire quintupled in size near a grove of California's famous giant sequoia trees, officials said. (National Park Service via AP) (AP)
Wildfire imperils giant sequoias Viewed from Oakhurst in Madera County, Calif., a plume rises from the Washburn Fire burning in Yosemite National Park on Friday, July 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) (Noah Berger/AP)
Wildfire imperial giant sequoias In this image provided by the National Park Service, a firefighter walks near the Mariposa Grove as the Washburn Fire burns in Yosemite National Park, Calif., Thursday, July 7, 2022. A portion of Yosemite National Park has been closed as a wildfire rages near a grove of California's famous giant sequoia trees, officials said. (National Park Service via AP) (AP)
Wildfire imperils giant sequoias The Washburn Fire burns in Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park, Calif., on Friday, July 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) (Noah Berger/AP)
Wildfire imperils giant sequoias In this image released by the National Park Service, smoke rises from the Washburn Fire near the lower portion of the Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park, Calif., Friday, July 8, 2022. Part of Yosemite National Park has been closed as a wildfire quintupled in size near a grove of California's famous giant sequoia trees, officials said. (National Park Service via AP) (AP)
Wildfire imperils giant sequoias Firefighters protect a sequoia tree as the Washburn Fire burns in Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park, Calif., on Friday, July 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) (Noah Berger/AP)
Wilfire imperils giant sequoias Seen from unincorporated Mariposa County, Calif., a helicopter drops water on the Washburn Fire burning in Yosemite National Park on Saturday, July 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) (Noah Berger/AP)
