Washington - This week, the Washburn Fire is burning in the iconic Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park, threatening some of the oldest Giant Sequoias in the world. House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), House Committee on Natural Resources Ranking Member Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), and U.S. Reps. Scott Peters (D-Calif.), David Valadao (R-Calif.), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.)and Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) issued the following joint statement in response:

"The Mariposa Grove is a truly unique place that is so magnificent and iconic, it inspired great presidents like Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt to protect Giant Sequoias for future generations. The Washburn Fire currently burning in this grove is a painful and urgent reminder that these trees are more vulnerable than ever, and immediate action is critical. This is exactly why the Save Our Sequoias Act is so essential. By granting land managers emergency authority to act in and around Giant Sequoia groves before a fire starts, we can keep wildland firefighters from having to risk their own lives and resort to desperate measures like elaborate sprinkler systems to save these special places. Time is not on our side, and we are in a race against the clock. We need immediate action on the Save Our Sequoias Act to give foresters and emergency personnel in California the resources they so desperately need to protect these national treasures for generations to come."

Background

Last week, the Washburn Fire ignited near the Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park. The fire has since grown to more than 3,000 acres and has burned so intensely it created "fire-nados" that hurled large Giant Sequoia branches hundreds of feet into the air, nearly colliding with fire suppression aircraft. Hundreds of firefighters are now bravely risking their lives to save these trees by clearing hazardous fuels around the Giant Sequoias and installing sprinkler systems to increase humidity. In the past two years, catastrophic wildfires have killed up to one-fifth of the world’s Giant Sequoias.

Less than one month ago, a bipartisan group of 36 members introduced the Save Our Sequoias Act to provide land managers with the emergency tools and resources needed to save these remaining ancient wonders from the unprecedented peril threatening their long-term survival. The emergency authority being used to protect the Mariposa Grove from the Washburn Fire is the same authority the Save Our Sequoias Act would extend to land managers to proactively treat groves before a fire ignites.

To learn more about the bill, including the more than 100 organizations supporting it, click here.