YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (AP) — A famed grove of giant sequoias in Yosemite National Park survived its first wildfire in more than a century, thanks to efforts to regularly burn the undergrowth beneath the towering trees, a forest ecologist who toured the site said Tuesday. California firefighters gained ground Monday against a wildfire that poses a threat to a grove of giant sequoias and a small community in Yosemite National Park. The rest of Yosemite remained open, though it has been blanketed in heavy smoke at times. “But from the pictures I’ve seen it, too, is gonna survive.”The sequoias are adapted to fire — and rely on it to survive. By Monday night, the Jacob City Fire had grown to 6.4 square miles (16.6 square kilometers), with 19% containment, officials said.

Source: thestar July 12, 2022 20:29 UTC