Washington: A growing wildfire threatening the famous giant sequoia tree grove in California’s Yosemite National Park has forced the officials to issue evacuation orders for the nearby community, according to officials.
In a social media post, Yosemite National Park said, “The Washburn Fire is burning near the lower portion of the Mariposa Grove. The fire is about estimated at 60 to 70 acres. Firefighters are suppressing the fire from the ground and air. The Mariposa Grove is closed until further notice. All other areas of Yosemite National Park are open.”
According to CNN, Mariposa Grove is home to more than 500 giant sequoia trees, which can grow to over 250 feet tall. The grove was founded in 1857 though some believed it to be more than 2000 years old.
CBS News quoted Nancy Phillipe, a Yosemite fire information spokesperson, as saying that the sequoias are threatened by the flames, but there have been no reports of severe damage to the groves named sequoias, such as the 3,000-year-old Grizzly Giant.
Meanwhile, California officials are fighting against the Electra Fire, which has engulfed more than 4,400 acres across Amador and Calaveras counties and also in the Sierra Nevadas, according to Cal Fire.
