At least a tenth of the world’s mature giant sequoias were destroyed by a single California wildfire that tore through the southern Sierra Nevada last year, according to a draft report prepared by scientists with the National Park Service.
Tony Caprio/National Park Service via AP
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toggle caption Tony Caprio/National Park Service via AP
At least a tenth of the world s mature giant sequoias were destroyed by a single California wildfire that tore through the southern Sierra Nevada last year, according to a draft report prepared by scientists with the National Park Service. Tony Caprio/National Park Service via AP
SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (AP) At least a tenth of the world s mature giant sequoia trees were destroyed by a single California wildfire that tore through the southern Sierra Nevada last year, according to a draft report prepared by scientists with the National Park Service.
“I cannot overemphasize how mind-blowing this is for all of us.” By (David McNew/Getty Images)
Story at a glance
Scientists for the National Park Service found that a sprawling wildfire in California last year may have wiped out one-tenth of the Earth’s mature sequoia population.
A lightning strike in the Sequoia National Forest sparked the Castle fire last August and burned more than 150,000 acres before it was contained near the end of December.
The scientists have cautioned that the report is preliminary and the exact figures still need to be peer reviewed.
A draft report by scientists for the National Park Service (NPS) has found that a sprawling wildfire in California last year might have wiped out one-tenth of the Earth’s mature sequoia population.