Many Sequoias unscathed so far

Prescribed burning helped save trees

So far beloved many Giant Sequoias have gone unscathed despite two major fires burning around them in the Sequoia National Forest and Sequoia National Park.

The Windy Fire has been burning in the Tule River Indian Reservation and the Giant Sequoia National Monument in Sequoia National Forest while the KNP Complex has been burning in Sequoia National Park. As of Tuesday afternoon the Windy Fire had burned 27,183 acres and was 5 percent contained.

Officials have confirmed one of the Sequoias in the Trail of 100 Giants known as the “natural bench” has sustained some burning.

The fire has also impacted the Peyrone Grove, South Peyrone Grove and the Redhill and Long Meadow Giant Sequoia Groves. The Long Meadow Grove includes the Trail of 100 Giants. Officials stated it will be some time before it’s know exactly what damage has been done to Sequoias by the fire.

But as far as the KNP Complex, which had burned 39 square miles as of Tuesday afternoon, the General Sherman Tree, regarded as the world’s largest, has remained unscathed. Also unscathed were Four Sequoias known as the Four Guardsmen as their bases were wrapped in fire-resistant material.

The General Sherman Tree and Four Guardsman are in the Giant Forest. The KNP Complex entered the Giant Forest near the Four Guardsmen, but for decades prescribed burns have

been done to protect the trees. Officials stated low-intensity fire pass through the area.

There were more than 1,136 firefighters working towards full suppression of the Windy Fire. As of Tuesday firefighters were digging handline around trees and spraying water to “carefully protect” the Giant Sequoias along the Trail of the 100 Giants.

Johnsondale, Camp Whitsett, Ponderosa and Quaking Aspen remained under an evacuation order. Camp Nelson remains under an evacuation warning.

The Mule Peak Lookout was destroyed in the early stages of the fire under extreme burning conditions desping being wrapped in fire-resistant material.

On the fire’s west flank, crews and bulldozers were completing indirect control lines. On the north flank, crews were construction contingency lines, using the Coy Flats area to limit the fire’s spread.

On Monday the northeast and east flanks were active along the Western Divide Highway. “Firefighters have assessed and are protecting structures in the Ponderosa and Peppermint areas,” officials stated. “Firefighters are constructing direct fireline along the fire’s edge on the southeast flank in the Johnsondale area.”

Officials added structures in that area remain unaffected by the fire. A spotfire south of Johnsondale was contained and crews continued to to work to extinguish hostspots, aided by water-dropping helicopters when visibility allowed.

Fire activity decreased significantly overnight on Monday. “Fire behavior is expected to be moderate, enabling firefighters to engage the fire where it is safe to do so.”

Smoke was persisting over the area on Tuesday, which would limit visibility and the use of water and retardantdropping aircraft.