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Thousands of giant sequoias killed in California wildfires

Giant Sequoias Killed
Noah Berger/AP
Ashtyn Perry, 13, climbs a scorched sequoia tree during an Archangel Ancient Tree Archive expedition to plant sequoia trees, on Oct. 27, 2021, in Sequoia Crest, Calif. Sequoia National Park says lightning-sparked wildfires in the past two years have killed a minimum of nearly 10,000 giant sequoia trees in California. The estimate released Friday, Nov. 19, 2021, accounts for 13% to 19% of the native sequoias that are the largest trees on Earth.
Giant Sequoias Killed
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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sequoia National Park says lightning-sparked wildfires in the past two years have killed a minimum of nearly 10,000 giant sequoia trees in California.

The estimate released Friday accounts for 13% to 19% of the native sequoias that are the largest trees on Earth. The trees are reliant on periodic low-intensity fire and were once seen as fire-resistant. But fires that have become more severe as climate change has brought hotter droughts and fires have torn through dozens of groves in the Sierra Nevada mountains in the last six years, killing the giants in large numbers for the first time.

Extraordinary firefighting measures this year helped save some giants.

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WILDFIRE RESOURCES

ASSEMBLE AN EMERGENCY SUPPLY KIT

Put together your emergency supply kit long before a wildfire or other disaster occurs and keep it easily accessible so you can take it with you when you have to evacuate.

Emergency Supply Kit Checklist:

  • Face masks or coverings
  • Three-day supply of non-perishable food and three gallons of water per person
  • Map marked with at least two evacuation routes
  • Prescriptions or special medications
  • Change of clothing
  • Extra eyeglasses or contact lenses
  • An extra set of car keys, credit cards, cash or traveler’s checks
  • First aid kit
  • Flashlight
  • Battery-powered radio and extra batteries
  • Sanitation supplies
  • Copies of important documents (birth certificates, passports, etc.)
  • Don’t forget pet food and water!

Items to take if time allows:

  • Easily carried valuables
  • Family photos and other irreplaceable items
  • Personal computer information on hard drives and disks
  • Chargers for cell phones, laptops, etc.

Always keep a sturdy pair of shoes and a flashlight near your bed and handy in case of a sudden evacuation at night.