Another wildfire, at 21,598 acres with 3% containment, burns near California’s giant sequoias

While the KNP Complex Fire continues to burn in Sequoia National Park, a second fire is also threatening giant sequoia groves in California’s southern Sierra Nevada.

The Windy Fire is burning 25 miles east of Porterville on the Tule River Indian Reservation and in the Giant Sequoia National Monument inside Sequoia National Forest. As of mid-morning Sunday, the fire burned 21,598 acres and was 3% contained.

Evacuation orders have been triggered for the communities of Johnsondale, Camp Whitsett, Fairview, Peppermint Ranch, Peppermint Work center, Lower Peppermint, Ponderosa, and Quaking Aspen.

Evacuation warnings are in place for Camp Nelson and surrounding communities. The fire had been burning six miles from the camp.

The fire grew Saturday afternoon across the Western Divide Highway and south to Johnsondale, Camp Whitsitt, and toward the Kern River. Fire also burned north reaching the Castle Fire burn scar, affecting the communities of Peppermint, Camp Nelson, Ponderosa, and Quaking Aspen.

Multiple giant sequoia groves are also being impacted by the fire, according to the fire’s operation command. It has now burned through the Peyrone and Red Hill groves, and a portion of the Long Meadow Grove along the Trail of 100 Giants.

It reached the edge of and skirted along the Long Meadow Grove. A damage assessment will be done in these groves when it is safe to do so and may take days to complete.

This story was originally published September 19, 2021 at 10:21 AM with the headline "Another wildfire, at 21,598 acres with 3% containment, burns near California’s giant sequoias."