Monday, August 24, 2015

Rough Fire Threatens Giant Sequoia Groves as Firefighters Expand Containment

One of the largest current wildfires in California has consumed nearly fifty thousand acres in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains and is threatening two groves of ancient Giant Sequoia trees. The Rough Fire started on July 31st by lightning in Sierra National Forest and has spread to Sequoia National Forest and Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park. Some fifteen hundred firefighters of a multi-agency task force are on the front lines trying to suppress the blaze with ground crews and air power. So far they have contained 17 percent of the perimeter. One structure, the Kings Canyon Lodge, has been destroyed and campers were evacuated from the area late last week. The fire is also threatening PG&E hydropower infrastructures in the region. Pacifica’s Vic Bedoian reports from Fresno.