The California fires continue burning. Reports now say that Big Basin, the state’s oldest redwood tree park, is engulfed in flames. Century old trees in the park may be lost forever.
“We are devastated to report that Big Basin State Park, as we have known it, loved it, and cherished it for generations, is gone,” Sempervirens Fund, an organization working for redwoods protection, wrote in a post to their website on Friday.
The fire has “damaged the [Big Basin} park’s headquarters, historic core and campgrounds,” according to a news release from the California Department of Parks and Recreation.
Big Basin was created in 1902 and is the state’s first attempt to protect the towering native redwood trees. The trees can grow over 200 feet tall and are between 1,000 and 1,800 years old .
“Nearly all Big Basin’s iconic redwood trees were scorched, and while many escaped the blaze with foliage intact, dozens near the park center had been torched up to the crown and their tops had burned off or broken,” The Mercury News wrote Thursday.
As of 7am PDT Saturday morning, the CZU Lightning Complex fires had a 5% containment and overall size of 63,000 acres.
https://outsider.com/news/oldest-redwood-tree-park-california-gone-to-fires/?fbclid=IwAR10GsjLPq9lfSGO0K4UeBw_gAKHmcrQUcZyb_cith3lGd7nyc6GhlwhCZA
“We are devastated to report that Big Basin State Park, as we have known it, loved it, and cherished it for generations, is gone,” Sempervirens Fund, an organization working for redwoods protection, wrote in a post to their website on Friday.
California Fires Raging Out Of Control
The CZU Lightning Complex is a cluster of fires burning in San Mateo and Santa Cruz Counties in Northern California. It has been raging out of control for a week. Some residents are being forced to flee their homes.The fire has “damaged the [Big Basin} park’s headquarters, historic core and campgrounds,” according to a news release from the California Department of Parks and Recreation.
Big Basin was created in 1902 and is the state’s first attempt to protect the towering native redwood trees. The trees can grow over 200 feet tall and are between 1,000 and 1,800 years old .
63,000 Acres Burned
Because of the conditions, details are still murky on the destruction of the park. However, a large number of the giant redwoods were hit by the fire.“Nearly all Big Basin’s iconic redwood trees were scorched, and while many escaped the blaze with foliage intact, dozens near the park center had been torched up to the crown and their tops had burned off or broken,” The Mercury News wrote Thursday.
As of 7am PDT Saturday morning, the CZU Lightning Complex fires had a 5% containment and overall size of 63,000 acres.
https://outsider.com/news/oldest-redwood-tree-park-california-gone-to-fires/?fbclid=IwAR10GsjLPq9lfSGO0K4UeBw_gAKHmcrQUcZyb_cith3lGd7nyc6GhlwhCZA