Yosemite fire

Crews scramble to protect giant sequoias in Yosemite's Mariposa Grove as the Washburn fire burns 1190 acres in the national park.

Three years later, the Castle fire in Sequoia National Forest and Giant Sequoia National Monument killed an estimated 7,500 to 10,600 mature sequoias — 10% to 14% of the world’s natural population. Visitors to Tenaya Lodge splashed in the hotel pool and looked unnaturally tan from the orange reflection of smoke. The trees rely on low- to moderate-intensity fire to reproduce, as bursts of heat prompt their cones to open and flames clear duff from the forest floor so the seeds can better germinate in the soil below, Nelson said. The pattern began to emerge in 2015, when the Rough fire that started in Sierra National Forest killed at least 100 large, mature sequoias as it burned into seven different groves. And last year, a Mono wind event that tore through the grove felled at least 15 sequoias, which remain on the forest floor and could help fuel the fire. The forest is adapted to frequent, low-intensity fires sparked by lightning and intentionally set by Indigenous people. The cause remains under investigation, but she noted the weather was clear and there were no obvious indications that the fire began naturally. “We don’t normally have retardant being dropped in the park. “This 2,000- to 3,000-year-old tree has a rich, vast history that goes back to Abraham Lincoln,” Phillipe said. “There’s this amazing feeling that you get as you’re with those giant trees — it just kind of consumes you,” Phillipe said. They were also wrapping some of the sequoias in protective foil, prioritizing the oldest named trees like the Grizzly Giant. They saw a fire “this big,” the mother said, stretching her arms wide, indicating a few feet.

Sequoias, the world's largest trees, have been repeatedly imperiled in recent years as climate change increases the intensity of wildfires.

The Castle Fire in 2020 burned one-third of the region’s sequoia groves. Firefighters were using a variety of tools to protect the grove Saturday as the uncontained fire expanded to more than 700 acres, Phillipe said. Sequoia trees, which are native to only the Sierra Nevada and can live for about 3,000 years, have been increasingly endangered by worsening blazes in the past few summers.

A campground in California's Yosemite National Park have been evacuated as a wildfire threatens a famed giant sequoia tree grove, officials said Thursday.

A wildfire in Yosemite National Park is burning in the Mariposa Grove of sequoia trees and forcing evacuations in Wawona.

Giant sequoias are the largest trees in the world, and the grove holds trees that may be be thousands of years old. You can check AlertWildfire's live cameras to monitor the progress of the fire. The fire is also prompting road closures in the area, so visitors should check before driving into the park. In 1864, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Yosemite Valley Grant Act into law, protecting the land, including Mariposa Grove, for the public and future generations. One of the best-known trees, the towering Grizzly Giant, is estimated to be 2,700 years old. Park spokesperson Scott Gediman told SFGATE on Friday morning that flames had reached the famed Mariposa Grove's Lower Grove. No details are available yet on the scope of the damage in the grove, which remains closed until further notice. "Utilize Wawona Road (Hwy 41) northbound toward Yosemite Valley. Southbound traffic is closed at the Wawona Golf Course." The Red Cross announced at 5 p.m. on Saturday that it has closed the evacuation site at 5089 Cole Road in Mariposa, after "caring for 10 displaced residents and tourists." Evacuation orders remain in effect for Wawona, the Mariposa Grove and Wawona Campground, but much of Yosemite National Park is still open. A map being updated by the National Park Service shows where the Washburn Fire is burning within the borders of Yosemite: Unfavorable conditions are expected later today, as temperatures rise and the humidity drops. You can see the latest incident reports from Yosemite National Park here.

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A wildfire burning in Yosemite National Park continues to grow in size as firefighters work to contain it.

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK--The Washburn Fire is currently burning within the Yosemite National Park (YNP) boundary near the Mariposa Grove area.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. The fire remained active overnight and crews continued to lead the battle to keep it out of Wawona and The Mariposa Grove. As the day came to a close, the fire was mapped at approximately 46 acres and several spot fires were reported. Also maps were finally being released and we got our first clear idea of where the fire had burned. Late Friday morning, YNP Officials released an evacuation warning for the residents, guests and employees of Wawona, including the Wawona Campground. Meanwhile the fire continued to grow quickly while people watched from all over the world. Once the FIRIS, a high tech fire mapping air craft, came on scene the acreage was updated to 166 acres. By 5:00pm the fire had progressed to approximately 10 acres and permission was granted to use the retardant. The Washburn Fire was mapped this afternoon at approximately 5:00pm by the FIRIS mapping aircraft and has grown to 1384 acres. The fire is burning in difficult terrain with continuous heavy fuels in and around the fire. It was not long after YNP officials put in a special request to use fire retardant in the park. YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK–The Washburn Fire is currently burning within the Yosemite National Park (YNP) boundary near the Mariposa Grove area. The Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias is home to over 500 mature trees.

Officials are investigating the cause of a fire that is threatening the largest grove of giant sequoias in Yosemite National Park.

There was no obvious natural spark for the fire that broke out Thursday next to the park’s Washburn Trail, Phillipe said. In the Sierra foothills, 80 miles (128 kilometers) to the northwest of the Yosemite fire, some evacuation orders were lifted as containment grew to 70% on the Electra Fire that had burned 7 square miles (18 square kilometers). The downed trees, along with massive numbers of pines killed by bark beetles, provided ample fuel for the flames, but winds Friday were calm and the fire was not spreading rapidly.

Sprinklers are now being used to protect the giant sequoias in Yosemite, as 1591 acres burn and the Highway 41 entrance into the park remains closed.

There was no obvious natural spark for the fire that broke out Thursday next to the park's Washburn Trail, Phillipe said. There was no obvious natural spark for the fire that broke out Thursday next to the park's Washburn Trail, Phillipe said. Since then, hundreds of firefighters on the ground have cut lines and planes in the air have dropped retardant, all to contain the flames. A total of 360 fire personnel have been called in to help fight the flames. Since then, hundreds of firefighters on the ground have cut lines and planes in the air have dropped retardant, all to contain the flames. A total of 360 fire personnel have been called in to help fight the flames.

Updated: Sunday, July 10, 2022 at 3:57pm. A wildfire threatening the largest grove of giant sequoias in Yosemite National Park more than doubled in size in ...

Meanwhile, most evacuation orders were lifted Saturday in the Sierra foothills about 80 miles to the northwest of the Yosemite fire, where a fire broke out on July 4. There was no obvious natural spark for the fire that broke out Thursday next to the park's Washburn Trail, Phillipe said. However, crews have wrapped a historic cabin in the protective foil, she said.

A fire in California's Sierra Nevada continued to expand Sunday, with sprinklers deployed to protect the cherished giant sequoia trees of Mariposa Grove.

The park's south entrance was also closed. The summer temperatures were abetted by abundant fuel, officials said. The blaze in Yosemite National Park was measured at 2,044 acres by evening. Similar temperatures were expected early in the week. The closure includes the Wawona area and Wawona Road south of Yosemite West, park officials said. It was the first time the government had ordered scenic areas to be protected for public benefit.

Campers and residents near the blaze were evacuated but the rest of the sprawling park in California remained open.

Meanwhile, most evacuation orders were lifted Saturday in the Sierra foothills about 80 miles (128 kilometers) to the northwest of the Yosemite fire, where a fire broke out on July 4. However, crews have wrapped a historic cabin in the protective foil, she said. There was no obvious natural spark for the fire that broke out Thursday next to the park's Washburn Trail, Phillipe said. Campers and residents near the blaze were evacuated but the rest of the sprawling park in California remained open, though heavy smoke obscured scenic vistas and created unhealthy air quality. - Campers and residents near the blaze were evacuated but the rest of the sprawling park in California remained open, though heavy smoke obscured scenic vistas and created unhealthy air quality. - A wildfire threatening the largest grove of giant sequoias in Yosemite National Park more than doubled in size in a day.

National Park Service spokesperson Nancy Phillip said about 1,600 people have evacuated since authorities issued evacuation orders for the nearby community of ...

Why it matters: Uber's history of challenging or ignoring local laws and regulations has long been a matter of record. - "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 toldNBC News. The big picture: The blaze has forced the closure of Mariposa Grove, which is home to more than 500 giant sequoias, and a nearby highway as firefighters and park crews battle to save the iconic trees, per a National Park Service update.

A wildfire in California's Yosemite National Park still threatens the famed Mariposa Grove of giant sequoia trees, but so far none of the trees has suffered ...

"While assigned to this operation, the helicopter identified additional areas where the fire had crept over the containment lines and was able to aid in their full extinguishment and containment." "Southern California typically has a fire season of historically late June and then into the fall," Garcia told CNN last month. "Top end of the Mariposa Grove, fire has backed into the grove a bit," Ahearn said. Gediman said it is "steep, heavily forested terrain" and they are relying on air and ground support to protect the park. The Washburn Fire began July 7 and doubled in size from Saturday to Sunday, burning near the lower portion of the grove, park officials said earlier. Park officials have urged people in the Wawona campground and community to evacuate.

Nearly a dozen helicopters and more than 360 firefighters were at the Washburn fire, which started on Thursday and has grown to more than 2000 acres.

On Saturday, a tour guide pointed to a model of the topography at the Tunnel View, a popular roadside overlook 20 miles north of Wawona, and told a group of visitors that was what they could have seen in front of them were it not for the fire. Wildfires are growing in size and severity in the western United States. Experts say that climate change is elevating the risks of wildfires. The grove is home to some of the longest-living and tallest trees in the world, including a tree named the Grizzly Giant that is more than 200 feet tall. Wawona Road is closed from the park’s south entrance to Henness Ridge Road, and Mariposa Grove is closed until further notice. “We have some kind of a reflex that we developed over the years.” Mandatory evacuation orders for the grove and Wawona, a small community within the park, remained in place.

The Washburn Fire in Yosemite National Park grew in size Sunday, as rough terrain and hot weather proved difficult for battling the blaze.

The parks service anticipated that fire activity will continue to actively spread during the next three days and beyond. The National Weather Service in Hanford, California, forecast moderate to heavy smoke impacting Yosemite on Sunday. Firefighters are throwing “every tactic imaginable" at it, said Nancy Phillipe, a Yosemite fire information spokesperson.

A wildfire threatening the largest grove of giant sequoias in Yosemite National Park more than doubled in size in a day, and firefighters were working in ...

Meanwhile, most evacuation orders were lifted Saturday in the Sierra foothills about 80 miles (128 kilometers) to the northwest of the Yosemite fire, where a fire broke out on July 4. There was no obvious natural spark for the fire that broke out Thursday next to the park’s Washburn Trail, Phillipe said. However, crews have wrapped a historic cabin in the protective foil, she said. Lightning-sparked wildfires over the past two years have killed up to a fifth of the estimated 75,000 large sequoias, which are the biggest trees by volume and a major draw for tourists to the national park that’s the size of the state of Rhode Island. A wildfire threatening the largest grove of giant sequoias in Yosemite National Park more than doubled in size in a day, and firefighters were working in difficult terrain Sunday to protect the iconic trees and a small mountain town. Phillipe, the park spokesperson, previously said some of the massive trunks had been wrapped in fire-resistant foil for protection, but she corrected herself on Sunday and said that was not the case for this fire.

A firefighter protects a sequoia tree from the Washburn Fire in Yosemite National Park. (CNN) Yosemite National Park's legendary giant sequoias have avoided ...

... But it's these high intensity fires that are causing the damage," he said, citing the devastating Creek Fire Mariposa Grove and the park's southern Wawona area. So we ask people to be patient," he told CNN on Sunday. Climate scientists are concerned So we have long lines of vehicles waiting to get in. , which was established in 1857, can tower to heights above 250 feet, or more than 20 stories tall.

A fire in California's Sierra Nevada continued to expand Sunday, with sprinklers deployed to protect the cherished giant sequoia trees of Mariposa Grove.

The park's south entrance was also closed. The summer temperatures were abetted by abundant fuel, officials said. Similar temperatures were expected early in the week. Park visitor Cara Exten was told to evacuate, an order she indicated made total sense. The blaze in Yosemite National Park was measured at 2,044 acres by evening. It was the first time the government had ordered scenic areas to be protected for public benefit.