'Up To A Fifth' Of All Giant Sequoia Trees Torched In Wildfires

Wildfires have killed "nearly a fifth" of the world's largest trees during the past two years, officials confirmed to the Associated Press on Friday (November 19).

The lightning-sparked disasters have struck an estimated 2,261 to 3,637 sequoias, the largest trees by volume, as they've torn through groves in California's Sequoia National Park and surrounding Sequoia National Forest.

Wildfires in the area were responsible for killing an estimated 7,500 to 10,400 giant sequoias -- which are only native in about 70 groves throughout the western side of the Sierra Nevada range -- that account for about 13% to 19% of the total 75,000 sequoias in existence, according to the AP.

The wildfires were capable of burning hot and high enough to kill large numbers of the giant trees previously believed to be nearly fire-proof amid a combination of a warming planet creating more heat droughts and a century of fire suppression in the forests.

“The sobering reality is that we have seen another huge loss within a finite population of these iconic trees that are irreplaceable in many lifetimes,” said Clay Jordan, superintendent of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, told the AP. “As spectacular as these trees are we really can’t take them for granted. To ensure that they’re around for our kids and grandkids and great grandkids, some action is necessary.”

California has seen its largest recorded fires during the last five years, with a record for most acreage burned recorded in 2020 and 2021 currently ranking second all-time.