California - Protection against forest fires: Rescue workers wrap fire

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General Sherman sequoia in Sequoia National Park with an aluminum ceiling

Photo: NATIONAL PARK SERVICE / AFP

In Sequoia National Park in the US state of California, the largest trees in the world, including the General Sherman, 2500 years old, 83 meters high. Now fires threaten the trees. Fires have been spreading in the area for about a week, and more than 350 firefighters are trying to contain them, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. The emergency services are now wrapping the trees in huge, fireproof aluminum blankets to protect them from the heat.

"We work very hard to protect this forest because it means a lot to people," said Rebecca Paterson, spokeswoman for Sequoia National Park.

The aluminum shell can keep out extreme heat for a while.

It should reflect radiant heat and protect the trees from blazing rain, said Mark Garrett, a spokesman for the local fire department.

Some historical buildings in the area are also protected with aluminum shells.

In order to contain the fires, the firefighters also start counterfire.

"When a larger fire enters the area, the sudden lack of fuel slows it down and sometimes even stops it," said Paterson of what is known as burnouts.

According to the fire brigade, around ten percent of the giant sequoia trees were only destroyed by the fires last year.

According to the BBC, there were more than 7,400 forest fires in California that year, burning more than 2.2 million acres of forest.

The forest fires were driven by high temperatures and extreme drought.

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