Pier Fire continues to smolder
Smoke from burning tree is visible
Smoke, visible from nearby communities is being emitted from a hollowed out giant sequoia tree in the area burned by the Pier Fire on the Western Divide Ranger District in Giant Sequoia National Monument, Sequoia National Forest, forest officials reported. The burning tree is located along Bateman Ridge near Forest Road 21S12 south of Camp Nelson.
The 12-foot diameter sequoia tree is burning 80-feet up inside its hollowed-out trunk. Pieces of the tree continue to fall as they burn, but the ground near the base of the tree is not receptive to catching fire because it had already burned in the Pier Fire. The fire has little potential to spread because it is located well inside the Pier Fire burned area.
Forest Service firefighters will take action as necessary to suppress the ground fire while the large sequoia tree smolders and burns down.
“Smoke could be visible all summer,” stated District Ranger Eric Laprice. “We will monitor the fire rather than place personnel under a burning tree that could jeopardize their safety.”
The Pier Fire burned across 36,566 acres last summer. The fire was fully contained, meaning a perimeter line surrounded the fire that prevented it from spreading. Winter precipitation was expected to extinguish the remaining hot spots, however drought conditions persist and more hot spots may be discovered this summer.
Anyone entering the Pier Fire burned area should be aware of potential safety hazards such as falling rocks and fire-weakened trees. For current recreational information, call the Western Divide Ranger District from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at 539-2607.