California Wildfires Threaten The Ancient Giants Of Sequoia National Park

Last week, a photo made its way around social media of firefighters wrapping the world-famous General Sherman Tree in a fire-resistant material. The effort was made to reduce potential damages caused by the KNP Complex fire.

Sequoia National Park holds some of the largest and most ancient trees in the world. General Sherman Tree holds the title of the largest by volume.

People travel from all over to admire these giants in all of their glory. Believe me, it is truly something to see and experience. You can feel their energy as you walk through the groves, knowing they've been witness to this world's ever-changing story for many lifetimes over.

It's no secret that forest management in California has a bad reputation. Each season, as our skies fill with smoke, we witness the consequences of poor forest management. Homes are burned, lives are destroyed, and people are left to pick what's left of their former lives out of the rubble. 

As the fires rage in our state, in no way am I minimizing the devastation to human lives and habitat. Yet, these towering ancient Sequoias have survived them again and again in their lifetime.

For those of us in the outdoor community, it hurts to see the places we hold so dearly barren and scorched. While we feel the sting of it in our hearts, we must also remember that Mother Nature is one hell of a badass. She knows what she is doing. 

"Fire is an essential part of the sequoia lifecycle, causing the tree's pinecones to burst and spread seeds to the newly cleared forest floor below. Sequoias have several other adaptations that make them among the most fire-resistant species globally, including 12-foot-thick bark and crowns that grow hundreds of feet above the forest floor." - Desertsun.com

Today I heard with great relief that the Sequoias, including General Sherman Tree, survived the fire yet again. Nature presses on in the aftermath. As for humans, that remains to be seen.

Will California take forest management more seriously in the upcoming years? Will we bring back the indigenous methods that kept the fires manageable? Based on the past I can't say I have the most faith, but I am hopeful.

Our firefighters bear the brunt of these fires. There aren't enough words to thank those who are risking their lives, and working tirelessly to keep both people and nature safe. You are the real heroes of our state.

Sequoias have a fire resistant bark that protects them from burning to the ground season after season.