Crews hold Garnet Fire, keeping California’s giant sequoias safe for now

Watch Crews hold Garnet Fire, keeping California’s giant sequoias safe for now - Straight Arrow News on Dailymotion

Transcript

00:00California's giant sequoias got a break overnight.

00:03Crews took advantage of cooler humidity and calm winds to fortify containment lines on the Garnett Fire,

00:10and the U.S. Forest Service says none of the iconic trees have been hurt.

00:16Embers were spotted Tuesday in McKinley Grove, and smoke jumpers broke into action to put them out before they could spread.

00:23A spokesperson with the U.S. Forest Service told The Washington Post that the fire's threat has passed,

00:30and that the few flames that did occur will help the trees release seeds and boost the grove's health.

00:36The fire started August 24th after lightning struck and has scorched more than 56,000 acres,

00:42prompting a partial closure of Sierra National Forest.

00:46Crews reinforced lines on the northern and western flanks, cleared fallen trees, and contained spot fires.

00:52Some areas could see more activity, and firefighters are ready for flare-ups,

00:57including small jumps and clusters of flames.

01:00McKinley Grove is home to more than 200 sequoias spread across 100 acres.

01:06Save the Redwoods League says government efforts lag,

01:09pointing out that one in five sequoias have been lost to wildfire since 2015.

01:14The organization praised the crews but said the grove remains at risk.

01:19They urged California lawmakers to release funds and back proactive fire management.

01:25Read the full story on the Straight Arrow News mobile app or head to san.com.

01:29For Straight Arrow News, I'm Kaylee Carey.