It was a lazy afternoon in the Mystical dorm room. Verum had eaten a delicious but heavy lunch. And now, she had to do her homework. But that proved to be a more difficult task than she had thought. Her eyelids drooped as she nodded off to sleep. She fought to keep them open. But her eyes simply refused.
At the edge of her vision, she saw a reddish glow. Verum jerked awake. To her sleepy eyes, it had seemed like a fire. But as the shock faded, she realized it was probably Scorch being scorchy. Her eyes swept across the room and landed on her blazing crystal ball. Verum said, “Oh my MysticLord! There’s news about a wildfire!”
As Verum focused on understanding the news, Felix and Scorch sat next to her. Verum said, “Do you remember our conversation about the historic drought in California, United States (US)? The state has been experiencing a long dry spell which has caused water shortages.”
“Yes, I remember,” said Scorch.
“Well, higher temperatures and dry spells have driven many wildfires in the state. Recently, lightning struck California, resulting in two wildfires. These wildfires later merged,” said Verum, “They’re now called the KNP Complex fire.”
“Oh, no,” said Felix, “Are any trees or animals in danger?”
“Yeah, the fires blazed through California’s famous Sequoia National Park,” answered Verum, “And then the flames entered the Giant Forest. It’s a grove of some of the world’s oldest trees, including General Sherman. This tree is 275 feet tall, making it the tallest tree in the world. It’s about 2,400-2,700 years old.”
“Whoa,” said Scorch, “That is a truly old tree.”
“Oh no, according to what Verum said, General Sherman is in danger because of the flames,” said Felix, “So are all the majestic trees in the grove.”
“Hold up, Felix,” said Verum, “Firstly, scientists have said Sequoia trees have evolved to be quite fire-resistant. Secondly, the authorities have mobilized 350 firefighters to fight the flames. They are equipped with helicopters and fire-resistant planes.”
“That’s a relief,” said Felix.
“Wait, there’s more,” said Verum, “The bases of some of these trees, including General Sherman, have been wrapped with fire-resistant blankets. But now, the actual damage caused by the fire needs to be checked.”