CA’s Big Basin Redwood State Park...

[Lwiddis]

...has experienced a major fire. BB is California’s first state park. Per SFGate:

“Wildfire flames raced through Big Basin Redwoods State Park on Tuesday and destroyed multiple structures, including the historic headquarters, the nature center, campgrounds and more.
California State Parks released a statement Wednesday night that the park sustained "extensive damage," but didn't provide details on damage to its stands of ancient redwoods, some nearly 2,000 years old.
Established in 1902, Big Basin is California's oldest state park, which features a park village. The headquarters was built in 1936 by crews of the Civilian Conservation Corps with local redwood logs and stone, and is registered with the National Register of Historic Places.”

On to rebuilding the facilities and assisting in the recovery of the forest.

[1320Fastback]

Used to live in Boulder Creek near bye.

[profdant139]

Alan, that's true, with a caveat. We have hiked through North Grove, the badly burnt grove just north of the General Grant area in Sequoia/Kings Canyon. There is an explosion of new growth, but there are also many dead giants looming over the seedlings.

It'll take hundreds of years before these groves regain their mature state. My advice is to go see the remaining ancients while you still can!

[Alan_Hepburn]

While it is tragic to lose the buildings, it will turn out to be very good for the forest - redwood trees rely on the occasional wildfire to replenish themselves. The fires clear out the old underbrush, and the heat from the fires is what allows the seeds to pop open and sink their roots into the freshly cleared soil.

[JAC1982]

How sad 😞

[rvshrinker]

Do we know many trees were lost? Redwoods are very fire resistant. I know a lot of human development and infrastructure was lost, but hard to get info on the flora itself.

[profdant139]

Tragic loss of many, many old growth trees -- the park will not look like its old self for hundreds of years to come.