Gepubliceerd op 20 september 2021
This image, acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 18 September 2021, shows the KNP Complex fire in California which, at the time of the image acquisition, was moving towards the site of General Sherman, the largest single stem tree in the world.
General Sherman is a giant sequoia tree which is over 2,500 years old, growing in Sequoia National Park. The wildfire, which has burned more than 8,800 hectares in the state, threatens the tree and the surrounding giant sequoia forest.
In an attempt to preserve this unique forest, firefighters have wrapped the base of the sequoias in special fireproof blankets and removed all the surrounding brush. According to media reports, the sequoias have not yet been affected by the flames.
Data from the Copernicus missions allow the monitoring of wildfires around the world.