One of America’s most beloved national parks is on fire. On July 7, the Yosemite National Park Facebook page announced the Washburn Fire. Estimated at 60-70 acres, the Yosemite wildfire forced the closure of Mariposa Grove, the park’s largest grove of giant sequoias. The area was evacuated, and Yosemite National Park’s website advises nearby residents to prepare for further evacuations.
According to The Guardian, the closure marks Yosemite’s first major shutdown since 1988. However, additional closures may be on the horizon as temperatures rise. Some park officials have specifically voiced concern for climate change’s disproportionate impact on national parks in the United States.
“Every single one of our national parks is suffering from the effects of climate change, from record-breaking wildfires and droughts to rising sea levels and the destruction of cultural resources,” Stephanie Kodish, the climate change program director at the National Parks Conservation Association, wrote in June.
As firefighters work to suppress the Washburn Fire, many worry about what further environmental disasters may lie ahead. With protection measures limited after the Supreme Court decision to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from mandating emission reductions, national parks may need to prepare for additional emergencies.
“The decision, reached on a 6-3 partisan split, will have wide-ranging and deeply harmful consequences for air quality and the health of the climate,” Kodish added.