How previous burns help keep a raging
wildfire away from giant sequoias
When a wildfire was reported near the southern border of Yosemite National Park,
officials feared for the safety of hundreds of Giant sequoia trees within nearby
Mariposa Grove. But the Washburn fire skirted around the grove, avoiding the trees.
The change in fire behavior is attributed to a program of preventative fires in the
grove, which greatly reduced the amount of fuel the wildfire could burn.
Wildfire
Prescribed fire
Washburn fire perimeter (July 14, 2022)
Burned in past seven years
Previously burned
Burned before 2015
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK
Wawona
Area burned in
South Fork fire in 2017
Washburn fire
movement
Prescribed
burn in 2015
Prescribed
burns in 2016
and 2017
Mariposa
Grove
Sierra
National
Forest
Fire origin
The fire continues into dense woods
Scientists think these forests used to burn as frequently as every 5 to 7 years due to fires started by native people or lightning. As of July 14, the Washburn fire is pushing east into the Sierra National Forest, torching areas full of dead trees that have no record of prior burns in the modern era.
Riley D. Champine, NG Staff
Source: National Interagency Fire Center; CalFire; U.S. Census; National Park Service; Zeke Lunder, The Lookout
How previous burns help
keep a raging wildfire
away from giant sequoias
When a wildfire was reported near the
southern border of Yosemite National
Park, officials feared for the safety of
hundreds of giant sequoia trees within
nearby Mariposa Grove. But the
Washburn fire skirted around the
grove, avoiding the trees. The change
in fire behavior is attributed to a
program of preventative fires in the
grove, which greatly reduced the
amount of fuel the wildfire could burn.
Fire areas
Washburn fire perimeter (July 14, 2022)
Prescribed burn in past seven years
Prescribed burn before 2015
Previously burned by wildfire
Wawona
Prescribed
burn in
2015
Fire
origin
YOSEMITE
NATIONAL
PARK
Mariposa
Grove
Prescribed burns
in 2016 and 2017
Washburn
fire movement
Area
burned
in South
Fork
fire in
2017
Sierra
National
Forest
The fire continues into dense woods
Scientists think these forests used to burn as frequently as every 5 to 7 years due to fires started by native people or lightning. As of July 14, the Washburn fire is pushing east into the Sierra National Forest, torching areas full of dead trees that have no record of prior burns in the modern era.
Riley D. Champine, NG Staff
Source: National Interagency Fire Center; CalFire; U.S. Census; National Park Service; Zeke Lunder, The Lookout