The question of how to protect California's remaining giant sequoias, and how to manage America’s remaining forests in an era of climate-magnified megafires, has divided scientists and the public.
described the work of Hanson and others as having “garnered substantial attention and fostered confusion about the best available science.”
Sequoia researchers, including Hanson, agree that fire is necessary and beneficial for sequoias and their ecosystems more broadly. Fibrous, air-filled bark that can be more than two feet thick has evolved to help insulate the trees from flames. Heat opens up sequoia cones, releasing a flurry of oatmeal flake-sized seeds onto the scorched forest floor — a newly-cleared, mineral rich ash that is ideal for germination.
“This is sequoia regeneration. Sequoia regeneration. Sequoia, sequoia, sequoia,” he said. “I’d say at least 1,000 seedlings per acre in here.”Stephenson agrees hot fires spur reproduction, but said some portions of the Castle Fire footprint burned so hot that cones burned up and new sequoias aren’t regenerating. In such areas, the Park Service plans to plant seedlings by hand.
There was no lightning that day; authorities suspect humans caused the fire. When flames began roaring upslope toward the grove, Yosemite’s firefighters had two urgent tasks: Evacuate tourists, and save the trees. Park staff raced to clear the trail and herd tourists onto shuttle buses to escape out the only road into the grove.
The Washburn fire scorched a few sequoias but killed none. Firefighters said they watched as flames that were dozens or hundreds of feet tall drop to a couple of feet when they hit areas recently treated with prescribed fire.
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