The fires threaten the secular forest of Giant Sequoia in California. Photo credit: Noah Berger / AP / Profimedia
A forest fire broke out in California, the United States, has reached the McKinley Grove area, in the center of this US state, threatening Sequoia trees over 2,000 years old, DPA news agency, quoted by Agerpres, reports on Tuesday.
The Garnet fire reached the forest on Monday, which houses about 165 giant Sequoia trees, located about 300 kilometers southeast of San Francisco.
The fire burns in the Sierra National Forest for two weeks.
In the last days, sprinkling systems have been installed to keep the area around the Sequoia trees wet, and some trunks have been wrapped in fire resistant foil. The dried materials near the trees have been removed.
However, this failed to stop the sparks from reaching several crowns on Monday, which caught fire, according to forest officials. Firefighters equipped with special mountaineering equipment were sent to the affected area.
A video shows the Garnet Fire Reaching the McKinley Grove of Giant Sequoias on Monday.
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Dozens of fires in California
The giant sequoia grows only in the mountain chain Sierra Nevada, reaching an age of up to 3,400 years and over 80 meters high.
The thick peel of these trees, with a thickness of up to 46 centimeters, makes them resistant to fire. In addition, these trees need fire to propagate. Under extreme heat conditions, their cones open, and the seeds take root in the mineral -rich soil.
The frequency and extent of forest fires have increased and, according to the Save the Redwoods League conservation organization, about 20% of the mature giant sequoia have been destroyed since 2015.
The Garnet fire broke out on August 24, following a lightning bolt and has since spread over an area of over 185 square kilometers.
Currently, dozens of fires of different sizes are currently active in California. A fire broke out in January in Los Angeles resulted in 16,000 buildings consumed by flames and at least 31 dead.
California: The Garnet Fire Remained Active Through the Evening and Made a sign Push to the North, With Multiple Spot Fires the McKinley Grove in Fresno County. The Fire Has Established Itself in Terrain Filled with Continuous Dead Standing Fuels from Bug Kill, … https://t.co/wtmeiwhmxf pic.twitter.com/ea6mhlquvs
– The Hotshot Wake Up (@Hothshotwake) September 8, 2025
