Several wildfires surrounding Sequoia National Park in California are threatening groves of giant sequoias as firefighters race to contain the encroaching blazes.
Incident commanders said the Windy Fire, which has already charred 25,191 acres and is only 4% contained, burned into Long Meadow Grove along the Trail of 100 Giants.
The area is home to 1,500-year-old sequoias and flames have already begun searing the trunks of the ancient trees, officials said.
Thanh Nguyen, a spokesman for the fire command, told the Los Angeles Times that a portion of one giant sequoia along the trail was confirmed to have burned Sunday.
Incident commanders said the Windy Fire, which has already charred 25,191 acres and is only 4% contained, burned into Long Meadow Grove along the Trail of 100 Giants Sunday night
Several wildfires surrounding Sequoia National Park are threatening groves of giant sequoias, as firefighters scurry to contain the encroaching blazes
Wildfires that spread to the tops of trees - especially very tall trees - can move quickly through the forest, as the tops of the trees explode, showering embers over a large area below them.
'It was running toward multiple trees and firefighters were able to get it out, but it did get into the crown of one of the sequoias,' Windy fire incident spokeswoman Amanda Munsey told the Los Angeles Times.
Images captured on Tuesday showcased the glowing blaze at it engulfed Long Meadow Grove, continuing to swirl around tree trunks and branches.
The Windy Fire blazes through the Long Meadow Grove of giant sequoia trees near The Trail of 100 Giants overnight in Sequoia National Park on September 21, 2021
As climate change and years of drought push wildfires to become bigger and hotter, many of the worlds biggest and oldest trees, the ancient sequoias, have been killed
The giant trees are among the worlds biggest and live to more than 3,000 years, surviving hundreds of wildfires throughout their lifespans
