Date: 05/08/2012
Location: Yosemite National Park, California – Mariposa Grove
Fire is one of the important factors that ensure the sequoias in Mariposa Grove continue to thrive. Located in Yosemite National Park, California, the large trees depend on the fire for their seeds to germinate and to grow. The fire burns the evergreen plants below the large sequoias allowing the seeds to fall on a seedbed of nutrient-rich ash and mineral soil. The fire is also important to remove competition from other plants growing under the giant trees. Prescribed fire also helps to remove the massive fuel that would accumulate if left for a long time. Fire on this massive fuel would reduce even the largest sequoias into the burned brothers.
