‘Mind-blowing’: tenth of world’s giant sequoias may have been destroyed by a single fire

Draft report by National Park Service scientists finds 2020 Castle fire decimated California's population of ancient trees

A huge fire in California last year may have destroyed up to a tenth of the world's mature giant sequoia population, according to a draft report produced by scientists working for the National Park Service.

From August to December 2020, the Castle fire tore through Sequoia national park, burning through thousands of the ancient redwoods, the world's largest tree. By the time the blaze was contained, it had consumed 175,000 acres of parkland. NPS scientists now estimate that between 7,500 and 10,000 mature giant sequoias went up in flames.