Fires Shut Down Sequoia National Park as Residents Told to Flee

Fires in California’s Sierra Nevada forced the closure of Sequoia National Park on Tuesday, as some residents there were ordered to evacuate. Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux issued an evacuation mandate to residents in the community of Sycamore as the KNP Complex Fire continues to rage, now totaling about 3,024 acres. The KNP Complex Fire is a combination of two fires in Sequoia National Park—the Paradise Fire and the Colony Fire. Officials fear the massive blazes are headed toward the national park’s Giant Forest, where more than 2,000 giant sequoias are located. “There’s no imminent threat to Giant Forest but that is a potential,” Mark Ruggiero, fire information officer for Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks, told the AP.