In California, Sequoia National Park staff have discovered a giant redwood tree still smoking after last year’s fire, the National Park Service said on Wednesday (05.05.2021). USA.
The tree was isolated and did not pose a danger to the surroundings or visitors to the park, said Leif Mathiesen, a fire expert for the national park. Given this year’s low snow and rain, there may be more trees in similar condition, he said.
“The fact that there are still smoking patches from the 2020 Castle fire shows how dry the park is,” said Mathiesen. “With the low amount of snow and rain this year, it is possible that more discoveries will occur in the transition from spring to summer,” he added.
The smoking tree was recently found by scientists and fire crews inspecting the effects of the fire, which was ignited by lightning last August and spread over more than 699 square kilometers of the Sierra Nevada. It took five months to fully contain it.
Last year, the western United States suffered especially from fires caused by a prolonged drought caused by climate change. 33 people died and an area of 17,000 square kilometers was burned in California alone.
The giant sequoia that has been burning and smoking in Sequoia National Park, California, USA.
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Big fires are expected in 2021
The US authorities fear that a similar situation will be repeated this year, as the drought continues. Redwoods are the largest trees in the world and can live up to 3,400 years.
According to AccuWeather chief meteorologist Dave Samuhel, the fires are projected to burn 14,844 square miles (38,445 square kilometers) of land in the western United States.
“Unfortunately, simply put, it looks like it’s going to be another intense season,” he said in a statement. “We are seeing a lot of drought. Almost half of the country suffers from drought, and most of it is in the West.”
One possible exception could be Southern California, where a lack of rain has stunted spring growth that would eventually dry up and can become fuel for fires.
“Since the winter was dry there, that means not much new grass grew,” Samuhel said. “So that could reduce the threat of wildfires a little bit, at least in that area.”
FEW (AP, AFP)
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