The KNP Fire Complex may have caused more damage to California's iconic sequoia trees than previously thought.
On Wednesday afternoon, four firefighters working on the KNP Complex Fire were hit by a falling tree, the National Parks Service reported.
They were quickly transported to nearby hospitals and are receiving medical care. Despite receiving serious injuries, all are in stable condition.
The KNP Complex started nearly a month ago after a lightning storm, sparking two fires, the Colony Fire and Paradise Fire. The two soon combined into the KNP Complex, according to the Incident Information System website.
Crews dedicated a lot of time and effort to protect the trees from the encroaching blaze, including wrapping them in fire retardant material and clearing away brush from the tree bases. Officials said the fire has burned into 15 sequoia groves, likely killing hundreds of trees.
The Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park and Sequoia National Forest are the main areas affected by the flames. As of Friday morning, the fire had burned through 85,952 acres and was only 11% contained. The forecast for Friday and the weekend is tentatively optimistic as rainfall is expected.
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