Firefighters make progress containing Washburn Fire burning in Yosemite National Park
Washburn Fire has so far burned 3,221 acres of land
Washburn Fire burns more 3,200 acres, 22 percent contained
California firefighters gain ground in the battle against the Washburn Fire. As of Tuesday, the wildfire has burned at least 3,221 acres and is 22 percent contained. The blaze is threatening more than 500 sequoia trees.
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. – A large wildfire burning in Yosemite National Park has continued to grow in size, but firefighters working to extinguish the blaze are making extraordinary containment progress.
As of Tuesday morning, the Washburn Fire has burned 3,221 acres of pristine landscape and is currently 22% contained, two days ago the fire was uncontrolled.
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The Washburn Fire started on July 7 near the Washburn Trail in the Mariposa Grove area of Yosemite National Park in California.
Officials have yet to determine what sparked the blaze, but FOX News correspondent Claudia Cowan said no lightning strikes were reported in the area when the fire broke out.
Hundreds of fire personnel have been assigned to contain and extinguish the fire, not only because the fire is burning near communities where people live, but it's threatening a national treasure.
The Mariposa Grove is home to hundreds of massive sequoia trees, including the famous Grizzly Giant that stands hundreds of feet tall and is 3,000 years old.
Firefighters install sprinklers to protect sequoia trees in Washburn Fire
Firefighters are taking multiple measure to help fight the Washburn Fire including installing sprinklers to protect their most sacred sequoias.
To protect the Grizzly Giant and other trees, firefighters installed sprinklers to keep the giant sequoias from burning.
"We're trying to give it some, you know, preventative first aid," Yosemite Fire and Aviation Management said on Saturday.
Sprinkler systems were also set up along roads with the most significant risk for fire spread.
"We are so thankful for the 600 fire folks who are out here fighting this fire and keeping these (trees) around for the next generation," said Yosemite National Park Superintendent Cicely Muldoon.
HOW THE LAY OF THE LAND AFFECTS WILDFIRE BEHAVIOR
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Image 1 of 5In this handout photo provided by the National Park Service, firefighters conduct early morning backfiring operations near the South Entrance on July 11, 2022 in Yosemite National Park, California. (National Park Service)
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Image 2 of 5A McDonnell Douglas DC-10 Air Tanker drops fire retardant on the Washburn Fire in Yosemite National Park, California, July 11, 2022. (NIC COURY/AFP)
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Image 3 of 5Firefighters put out hot spots from the Washburn Fire in Yosemite National Park, California, July 11, 2022. (NIC COURY/AFP)
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Image 4 of 5A photo shows the Washburn Fire burning in Yosemite National Park forced the closure of the South Gate entrance Yosemite South Gate, CA, United States on July 11, 2022. (Neal Waters/Anadolu Agency)
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Image 5 of 5In this handout photo provided by the National Park Service, firefighters conduct early morning backfiring operations near the South Entrance on July 11, 2022 in Yosemite National Park, California. (National Park Service)
The fire has also been sending smoke into surrounding communities in Northern California.
Air Quality Alerts were issued Monday for sensitive groups in parts of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, including Yosemite National Park.
The wind shifted on Tuesday, and most of the smoke is now being sent into parts of Nevada, according to the National Weather Service.
THE AIR QUALITY INDEX EXPLAINED
In addition to the hundreds of firefighters on the ground working to extinguish the Washburn Fire, several firefighting aircraft have also been attacking the flames from the sky.
There was a close call for some of those airplanes over the weekend. On July 9, a tree branch was sent into the air from a powerful updraft produced by the fire, according to fire officials. As it dropped back to the ground, it narrowly missed two of those airplanes. Fortunately, there were no injuries or damage reported.
Crews install sprinklers to help protect sequoia trees from wildfire
Firefighters are taking a multitude of measures to help fight the Washburn Fire in Yosemite National Park, including installing sprinklers to protect their most sacred sequoia trees.
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"We are all grateful for the hard work and risks taken by everyone involved with the firefighting effort," officials said in a statement.
Several roads are also closed due to firefighting efforts.
The National Park Service has reported that Wawona, Wawona Road south of Yosemite West and the Mariposa Grove will be closed until further notice. In addition, the south entrance to the park remains closed and visitors are instructed to use other entrances.