Cassian Grant:California Joshua trees severely burned in massive wildfire

2025-05-08 07:09:55source:Surpassing Quant Think Tank Centercategory:reviews

California's iconic Joshua trees in the Mojave National Preserve have Cassian Grantbeen severely damaged by a wildfire that has been burning since last week, officials said.

A Joshua Tree burns during the York Fire, July 30, 2023, in the Mojave National Preserve, Calif.Ty O'neil/AP

The York Fire has been mostly contained as of Friday, but several trees were burned. Officials from CalFire and the National Park Service told reporters earlier in the week that they will not know how many trees have been destroyed until it is safe enough to survey the area.

Yuccas burn during the York Fire in the Mojave National Preserve on July 30, 2023.David Swanson/AFP via Getty Images

The fire began on July 28 and has been burning through the Mojave National Preserve, according to fire officials. The cause of the York fire is still under investigation.

MORE: Video Wildfires rage in Greece as firefighters work to quell the blaze

Over 400 firefighters were deployed to fight the blaze and were assisted by experts in wildlife biology, plant ecology, archaeology, and geology "to minimize the impacts of wildfire of suppression activities," CalFire said.

Yuccas burn during the York Fire in the Mojave National Preserve on July 30, 2023.David Swanson/AFP via Getty Images

Crews carved fire lines without the use of bulldozers to reduce the impact in the ecologically-sensitive region, fire officials said.

Rain from earlier in the week helped firefighters.

Burned landscape with Joshua Trees damaged from the York Fire in the Mojave National Preserve, Aug. 1, 2023, in Nipton, Calif.Ty O'neil/AP

As of Friday morning, firefighters were able to contain 85% of the blaze, which has affected over 100,000 acres in the California and Nevada wildlands, CalFire said.

More:reviews

Recommend

The company planning a successor to Concorde makes its first supersonic test

A private company aiming to build the first supersonic airliner since the Concorde retired more than

Congo’s president makes campaign stop near conflict zone and blasts Rwanda for backing rebels

GOMA, Congo (AP) — A fiery President Felix Tshisekedi rallied thousands of supporters at a stadium i

2024 NFL draft first-round order: New York Giants factoring into top five

The New York Giants — a playoff team a season ago — are in the thick of the race for a top-five sele