Iconic sequoia forest in California threatened by wildfires

Firefighters in California have been fighting the ever-growing forest fires that threaten the iconic giant sequoias and small communities in the Sierra Nevada.

The Windy Fire burns in Sequoia National Forest near California Hot Springs, California, U.S., Sept. 24, 2021.

More than 2,000 firefighters were on the lines of the Windy Fire burning on the Tule River Indian Reservation and in Sequoia National Forest, including Giant Sequoia National Monument.

A tree that has fallen continues to burn during the fires in California, Sept. 20, 2021.

The fire had scorched more than 133 square miles (344 square kilometers) after growing by nearly 11 square miles (28 square kilometers) in 24 hours, according to a Sequoia National Forest statement.

Hot spots from the Windy Fire glow under a harvest moon in Sequoia National Forest, Sept. 20, 2021.

A firefighter uses a drip torch to set a backfire to battle the Windy Fire, south of California Hot Springs, California, Sept. 25, 2021.

The Windy Fire burns in Sequoia National Forest near California Hot Springs, Sept. 24, 2021.

A volunteer attempts to evacuate horses to safety in California Hot Springs as the Windy Fire expands in Sequoia National Forest, California, U.S., Sept. 25, 2021.

Firefighters start a controlled burn near Sugarloaf as the Windy Fire expands in Sequoia National Forest, California, U.S., Sept. 26, 2021.

Firefighters start a controlled burn near Sugarloaf as the Windy Fire expands in Sequoia National Forest, Sept. 26, 2021.

Firefighters battling the Windy Fire extinguish a spot fire near the Trail of 100 Giants grove of Sequoia National Forest, Sept. 19, 2021.

The Windy Fire burns along a ridge in Sequoia National Forest, Sept. 20, 2021.

Flames burn up a tree as part of the Windy Fire in the Trail of 100 Giants grove in Sequoia National Forest, Sept. 19, 2021.

Firefighters battle the Windy Fire as it burns in the Trail of 100 Giants grove of Sequoia National Forest, Sept. 19, 2021.

Operations Section Chief, Jon Wallace looks over General Sherman where the historic tree was protected by structure wrap from fires along with the Four Guardsmen at Sequoia National Park, Sept. 22, 2021.

Fire-resistant wrap covers a historic welcome sign as the KNP Complex Fire burns in Sequoia National Park, Sept. 15, 2021.

Firefighters spray water as flames push towards a road during the Windy Fire in Sequoia National Forest near Johnsondale, Sept. 22, 2021.

Firefighters from Orange County take photos as the Windy Fire burns amid Sequoias in Sequoia National Forest near California Hot Springs, Sept. 21, 2021.

A firefighter watches flame and smoke rise into the air as trees burn during the Windy Fire in the Sequoia National Forest near Johnsondale, Sept. 22, 2021.

The Windy Fire burns amid Sequoias in Sequoia National Forest near California Hot Springs, Sept. 21, 2021.

Sequoia trees are seen amid smoke in the Sequoia National Forest in California, Sept. 17, 2021.

In a long exposure image, trees are reflected in a lake as flame and smoke rise into the air during the Windy Fire in Sequoia National Forest near Johnsondale, Sept. 22, 2021.

Flagging tape, marking a tree as a "killer" for risk of falling limbs, surrounds trees in Long Meadow Grove, a Giant Sequoia tree grove, after fires burned through along the Trail of 100 Giants during the Windy Fire in Sequoia National Forest, Sept. 23, 2021.

The Windy Fire burns in Sequoia National Forest near California Hot Springs, Sept. 24, 2021.

Smoke covers a landscape where hundreds of thousands of trees have been stressed or killed by years of drought and beetles as the Windy Fire continues to grow, Sept. 26, 2021.

A forest of ashen trees appear as if in a winter scene in the wake of flames as the Windy Fire continues to spread, Sept. 27, 2021.