| Washburn Fire | |
|---|---|
| Part of the2022 California wildfires | |
 The smoke plume of the Washburn Fire as seen fromOakhurst | |
| Date(s) |
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| Location | Yosemite National Park Sierra National Forest California, United States |
| Coordinates | 37°26′56″N119°36′50″W / 37.449°N 119.614°W /37.449; -119.614 |
| Statistics[1] | |
| Burned area | 4,886 acres (20 km2) |
| Ignition | |
| Cause | Human Start |
| Map | |
  Location of fire in California. | |
TheWashburn Fire was awildfire that burned inYosemite National Park near theMariposa Grove ofgiant sequoias. The fire was reported on July 7, 2022, in the lower Mariposa Grove area near the Washburn trail, for which the fire is named.[2] The fire quickly attracted national attention due in part to the role the Mariposa Grove played in the establishment of Yosemite National Park and theNational Park Service.[3]
The cause of the fire was referred to as a "human-start".[4] The fire caused evacuations ofWawona and impacted tourism and air quality in theSierra National Forest and surrounding communities. The fire was fully contained and was put out on August 1 and burned a total area of 4,886 acres (1,977 ha).[1]
The Washburn Fire was reported in the afternoon of July 7, 2022, near the Washburn Trail in theMariposa Grove area ofYosemite National Park. Approximately 450 visitors were evacuated before tanker airplanes were cleared to dropwildfire retardant in the area of the grove.[5]
On July 13, the fire expanded into theSierra National Forest, traveling up theMerced River drainage and away from Mariposa Grove.[6] On that day, theWhite House assistant press secretary stated that "We are closely monitoring the Yosemite wildfire, and the President has been briefed."[7]
By July 18, almost 1,600 firefighters were assigned to the fire with an estimated cost of fighting the fire up to that point estimated at $16.3 million.[8]
The Mariposa Grove and South Entrance to Yosemite National Park, alongHighway 41, were closed. Amandatory evacuation order was given for theWawona area, including the historicWawona Hotel.[1] Wawona residents and property owners were allowed to return on Sunday, July 17 as the fire exceeded fifty percent containment and continued to burn mostly to the east of the community.[9] The Mariposa Grove reopened to the public on August 3, 2022.[10]
The Washburn Fire threatened the giant sequoias of Mariposa Grove, which has some of the world's largest and most visited trees, including theGrizzly Giant. On July 9, fire crews acted to protect the trees, spraying the trees with hoses. Protective, fire-resistant material was also wrapped around the trunks.[11] Additional preventative measures were taken on July 11, including afire sprinkler system to increaserelative humidity around the Grizzly Giant and the wrapping of the historicGalen Clark cabin.[12][13]
Fire preparation measures, including fuel reduction over the past 50 years and the restoration ofhydrology during the Mariposa Grove Restoration Project, have been effective in preventing permanent damage to sequoias exposed to the fire, which include the Galen Clark Tree.[14][15]
| Date | Area burned acres | Containment | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 10 | 1,591 | 0% | ||
| Jul 11 | 2,340 | 25% | ||
| Jul 12 | 2,700 | 22% | ||
| Jul 13 | 4,261 | 23% | ||
| Jul 14 | 4,375 | 23% | ||
| Jul 15 | 4,759 | 31% | ||
| Jul 16 | 4,822 | 37% | ||
| Jul 17 | 4,864 | 53% | ||
| Jul 18[1] | 4,911 | 50% | ||
| Jul 19[1] | 4,863 | 58% | ||
| Jul 20[1] | 4,856 | 58% | ||
| Jul 22[1] | 4,856 | 79% | ||
| Jul 25[1] | 4,866 | 87% | ||
| Jul 30[1] | 4,866 | 97% | ||
| Aug 4[1] | 4,866 | 100% |
"We really don't want to leave this one to chance because this really is such an iconic tree," forest ecologist Garrett Dickman said.
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