Garnet fire threatens vulnerable grove of giant sequoias

"It's a little more favorable for us to be able to work on the fire and have a little less chance for volatile fire activity,"

"to keep the fire at a low intensity as it's going through those groves."

"is a major concern for us,"

The Garnet fire in Sierra National Forest has come within three miles of McKinley Grove, which contains roughly 200 mature giant sequoias. Approximately 1,800 firefighters are engaged, deploying sprinkler lines, using McKinley Grove Road as a containment feature, and conducting strategic burns to reduce fuels. Cooler temperatures and higher humidity have improved conditions temporarily, giving crews better ability to work and lowering the chance of volatile fire behavior. The blaze began with lightning on Aug. 24. An estimated 20% of the world's mature giant sequoias died in the last decade, and McKinley is considered highly vulnerable and accessible to visitors.

Read at Los Angeles Times