Giant sequoia found still smoldering from 2020 California wildfire

Sequoia National Park, California —  A giant sequoia has been found smoldering and smoking in a part of Sequoia National Park that burned in one of California's huge wildfires last year, the National Park Service said Wednesday.

"The fact areas are still smoldering and smoking from the 2020 Castle Fire demonstrates how dry the park is," said Leif Mathiesen, assistant fire management officer for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in central California. "With the low amount of snowfall and rain this year, there may be additional discoveries as spring transitions into summer." The smoldering tree was found recently by scientists and fire crews surveying the effects of the blaze, which was ignited by lightning last August and spread over more than 270 square miles of the Sierra Nevada. It took five months to fully contain.