A wildfire has led to the closure of Yosemite National Park’s Mariposa Grove in California, home to over 500 towering sequoias, park officers introduced Thursday.
The Washburn Fire, which is burning close to the decrease a part of Mariposa Grove, spans 60 to 70 acres, the park stated on social media.
“Firefighters are suppressing the fire from the ground and air. The Mariposa Grove is closed until further notice,” the park stated. However, different areas of Yosemite stay open.
The park service shared a photo of orange flames among the many redwoods.
The Mariposa Grove, a preferred vacation spot on the park, is home to “over 500 mature giant sequoias,” which may exceed 200 toes in peak.
President Abraham Lincoln in 1864 signed laws defending Mariposa Grove as a website for “public use, resort and recreation,” in accordance to the park’s web site.
California has been ravaged by decimating wildfire seasons that final 12 months burned greater than 2.5 million acres in over 8,800 incidents and killed three individuals, in accordance to Cal Fire’s 2021 data.
Other blazes are at present raging within the state. The Electra Fire, in Amador and Calaveras counties, has scorched 4,272 acres and was 60% contained as of Thursday. The Rices Fire, in Nevada County, spans 904 acres and was 98% contained as of Thursday, in accordance to Cal Fire’s incident tracker.