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Hundreds of California firefighters battle to protect ancient sequoia groves from raging wildfires - with world's largest tree General Sherman wrapped in aluminum foil blanket
The Daily Mail UK ^ | 21 September | JAMES GORDON FOR DAILYMAIL and WIRES

Posted on 09/21/2021 3:14:46 AM PDT by blueplum

Hundreds of firefighters were battling to protect several groves of giant sequoias in California, warning the enormous ancient trees were at risk from out-of-control blazes.

A number of separate fires were converging on the California woodland that is home to the huge trees, highlighting the terrifying power of wildfires to consume everything in their path....

...Further north, the KNP Complex fire continued to threaten the renowned Giant Forest, home to General Sherman, the world's biggest tree by volume, and standing at 275 feet.

General Sherman, which is estimated by the National Parks Service to be 2,200 years old, was wrapped in fireproof foil blankets last week....

Incident commanders said the Windy Fire, which has already charred 25,000 acres has burned into the remote Peyrone Sequoia Grove and the Red Hill Grove.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: firefighters; forestfires; generalsherman; redwoods
many pictures
1 posted on 09/21/2021 3:14:46 AM PDT by blueplum
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To: blueplum

they need to allow wood burning (renewable) stoves again. They could clear their forests by allowing citizens to go grab free wood laying in the ground, no cutting trees, until ready to harvest and regrow. They are fools to let that crap go on


2 posted on 09/21/2021 3:23:37 AM PDT by Undecided 2012
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To: blueplum

What did they do before humans were here to help?
Virtue signaling idiots.


3 posted on 09/21/2021 3:31:02 AM PDT by GranTorino (Bloody Lips Save Ships.)
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To: blueplum

What did they do before humans were here to help?
Virtue signaling idiots.
The foil will bake them like a potato.
Leave the trees alone!
God designed them so they can live through fires.


4 posted on 09/21/2021 3:32:39 AM PDT by GranTorino (Bloody Lips Save Ships.)
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To: Undecided 2012

It’s all part of a plan, I believe, to make land so worthless that it’s cheap to buy by the billionaires. WHen they basically own California, you can be sure that every bad policy will suddenly be found to be bad policy and reversed.


5 posted on 09/21/2021 3:34:34 AM PDT by Jonty30 (My superpower is setting people up for failure, without meaning to. )
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To: GranTorino

When I visited they said the bark was a natural fire retardant.


6 posted on 09/21/2021 3:46:07 AM PDT by xp38
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To: blueplum

Do they not realize that fire is part of they’re life cycle. they have to have fire to reproduce. Fire is part of life’s cycle to rejuvenate and replenish. Redwoods/Sequoia’s need bare soil for their seeds.

In 2011 we lost over 14 square miles of the ranch to two different fires, now those area’s are some of the best pasture we have. New growth and shrubs offer more to the variety of wildlife than old growth does. Let an area burn and watch how fast the wildlife go to it, and it will continue that way for many years.


7 posted on 09/21/2021 3:51:57 AM PDT by Dusty Road (")
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To: blueplum

“”Hundreds of California firefighters battle to keep ancient sequoia’s from reproducing.””

That’s what the title of the article should really be saying because that’s exactly what’s happening.


8 posted on 09/21/2021 4:09:51 AM PDT by Dusty Road (")
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To: blueplum

I blame climate change and not enough ballot stuffing for Gov Nuisance. Gaia is punishing Rat voters.


9 posted on 09/21/2021 4:10:23 AM PDT by No_Mas_Obama
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To: xp38

Yep - and periodic fires keep them healthy.


10 posted on 09/21/2021 4:15:06 AM PDT by trebb (Fight like your life and future depends on it - because they do.)
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To: xp38

When I visited they said the bark was a natural fire retardant.

You are correct ; redwoods are fire resistant and thrive on fires - I think their seeds need fire to germinate.

So they spend thousands or more on foolish 1/2 thought out measures to save one tree which does not need saving, but not a penny on the homes that are at hazard due to extremely poor forest management.

Must be California being California, land of the greater ignoramus


11 posted on 09/21/2021 4:36:01 AM PDT by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
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To: blueplum

remember who cut the land management budget? ole Gavin. this. is. on. him. let him hear from you on his disastrous destructive record.


12 posted on 09/21/2021 4:44:31 AM PDT by avital2
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To: blueplum

The sequoias shown in most of the pics should be fine. Note the lack of fuels, and the sequoias are seriously fire resistant themselves. The (fire resistant) bark is very thick. A tree with some surface charring will be fine.

I can’t figure out just what’s going to burn around the bases of the trees shown lined with the fire resistant blankets. ??

A very dry grove with lots of downed clutter and underbrush could be a different story. But, even that said, the trees will reproduce, esp. with a little post fire help from Man. It’ll take a while to be as impressive, tho’.

Thing is, this drought is so far not all that impressive, compared to droughts well within these trees’ lifetimes. CA has had much worse, not so long ago.


13 posted on 09/21/2021 4:54:57 AM PDT by Paul R. (You know your pullets are dumb if they don't recognize a half Whopper as food!)
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To: blueplum

General Sherman, which is estimated by the National Parks Service to be 2,200 years old, was wrapped in fireproof foil blankets last week....

AKA baked potato


14 posted on 09/21/2021 4:58:11 AM PDT by Flick Lives (We may or may not have reached herd immunity, but we've definitely achieved herd stupidity.)
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To: blueplum

They should turn Sherman into deck boards before it gets burned up.


15 posted on 09/21/2021 5:11:24 AM PDT by Beagle8U ("Per DNC instructions...Joy Reed is busy packing marbles up her @$$.")
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To: blueplum

FTA: with world’s largest tree General Sherman wrapped in aluminum foil blanket

If any spotted owls inside then there will be dinner for all the firefighters!!


16 posted on 09/21/2021 12:26:55 PM PDT by minnesota_bound (I need more money. )
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To: xp38

but it is virtue signaling. It shows they care the tree. It shows their love. Which is more important than actually doing something beneficial. The communists are all about virtue signaling; marching, protesting, wearing arm band. Basically doing nothing.


17 posted on 09/21/2021 1:32:00 PM PDT by dirtymac ( Now Is The Time For All Good Men To ComeTo The Aid Of Their Country! NOW)
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To: Paul R.; Flick Lives

The reason for the fire blanket is more to protect the sapwood and the very shallow roots (3 to 10 feet mostly) at the base of the tree from heat. If the sapwood is fire-damaged it may kill the top of the tree which allows tree-top spread of fire (very fast). Trees that are ‘topped’ almost always die because the circulatory system of the tree is cut, putting stress on the tree until it can build an imperfect workaround. Like cutting an arm off, there’s no path for fluids to easily return. If the root ball at the base of the tree is damaged, the tree’s ability to absorb/transport water and minerals is hampered and the stability is also endangered.

“Perhaps many of the dead tops are traceable to partial destruction of the sapwood by fire near the base of the tree, since this portion supplies the channels through which water and minerals from the roots reach the needles, and an interruption of the conduction system may result in serious shortages. Practically all trees with dead tops display large fire scars at their bases

https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/cook/sec1.htm


18 posted on 09/21/2021 4:47:48 PM PDT by blueplum ("...this moment is your moment: it belongs to you... " President Donald J. Trump, Jan 20, 2017) )
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