General Sherman is safe-- for now...

[samhexum]

The world’s largest tree is safe from a raging wildfire — for now.

The General Sherman, a 275-foot-tall, 36-foot-wide giant sequoia that towers above the trails in California’s Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park, remained out of danger from the KNP Complex fire Saturday, the Los Angeles Times reported.

But the 18,000-acre conflagration, sparked by a Sept. 9 lightning storm, has burned through a western portion of the forest — and came alarmingly close to the Four Guardsmen, the famous group of giant sequoias that generations of tourists have known as the park’s entrance portal.

The General Sherman, a 2,000-year-old behemoth thought to be the world’s largest tree by volume, grows in the northern end of the forest.

Crews worked frantically Friday to shield the park’s most iconic trees, including the General Sherman, by wrapping their trunks with fireproof foil blankets and clearing flammable debris from their bases.

Firefighters wrap the Sequoia National Forest Sign with fire-resistant material to protect it from the KNP Complex Fire. National Park Service via EPA

The General Sherman tree is 2,000 years old. EPA/National Park Service HANDOUT

Firefighters were diligent to wrap the General Sherman tree with fireproof foil blankets. EPA/National Park Service HANDOUT

But authorities could not predict where the fire — which is still zero percent contained — would head next.

“We don’t know exactly what will happen today,” Steven Bekkerus, a public information officer with the firefighting Southern Area Blue Team, said Saturday. “Today may be an active fire day.”

Edited September 19, 2021 by samhexum

[+ friendofsheila]

My fingers are crossed.  It's a wonderful place.

[CuriousByNature]

I think I read somewhere that giant sequoias, when fully grown, are very resistant to fires.  I can't recall if it is the thickness of the bark that provides the protection, or something else.  It's likely General Sherman has withstood numerous fires over the centuries, and hopefully will continue to do so for many more to come.

[+ azdr0710]

11 minutes ago, CuriousByNature said:

I think I read somewhere that giant sequoias, when fully grown, are very resistant to fires.  I can't recall if it is the thickness of the bark that provides the protection, or something else.  It's likely General Sherman has withstood numerous fires over the centuries, and hopefully will continue to do so for many more to come.

yes, I'm sure the tree has been thru many fires......the trouble, of course, is that current fire behavior is much-changed from historical behavior.....deliberate fire suppression by humans over the last 100 years (preserve the timber resources) and climate change will remain a concern for decades and may be a greater ongoing threat to the giant trees......historically, low-intensity fires occurred every year and were healthy for the forests......there is much to read about this......

[whipped guy]

14 hours ago, azdr0710 said:

yes, I'm sure the tree has been thru many fires......the trouble, of course, is that current fire behavior is much-changed from historical behavior.....deliberate fire suppression by humans over the last 100 years (preserve the timber resources) and climate change will remain a concern for decades and may be a greater ongoing threat to the giant trees......historically, low-intensity fires occurred every year and were healthy for the forests......there is much to read about this......

Yes, not all forest fires are a bad thing. Read more as @azdr0710 notes above:

https://www.grandviewoutdoors.com/extras/diy-land-management/how-to-conduct-a-controlled-burn-and-not-burn-the-woods-down

Firefighters often rush to put out fires for a variety of reasons including bad publicity if they don’t act quickly.  However at times extinguishing a fire could upset the balance of certain ecosystems.  Often fires not only help eliminate excessive vegetation, but they also promote healthier growth as food for deer and other animal populations.  Both letting existing wildfires burn and intentionally lighting new fires can be beneficial  Still public safety always should be the first concern. 

However, no matter what we love our first responders!
 

MORE ON FIREFIGHTER FIRST RESPONDERS

 

Getting back on topic: LONG LIVE General Sherman!!