With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Park officials survey damage to iconic Joshua trees amidst latest wildfire
A fire that started near Eureka Peak, shown here on a clear day, is threatening Joshua trees.
(
Lian Law
/
Courtesy National Park Service
)
Crews at Joshua Tree National Park have begun to survey damages to its namesake plant in the wake of the latest wildfire that has burned more about 200 acres in an area known as a "refuge" of sorts for the tree.
As of Saturday afternoon, the Eureka Fire is at 40% contained, according to fire authorities .
The fire broke out Friday at around noon in the Covington Flats area of the park.
"This area of Covington Flats is a place where we hope is a kind of last refuge for our Joshua trees because of higher elevation," said park spokesperson Meg Rockwell. "It's an area that Joshua trees seem to really prosper."
Sponsored message
As temperatures climb from changing climates, Joshua trees have been retreating to higher elevation areas, Rockwell said, where there's more rainfall and cooler temperatures.
-
With at least a foot of fresh snow expected to fall this week, Mammoth Mountain will open Saturday, welcome news for winter sports enthusiasts. -
The project will bring about an acre of parkland to North Long Beach, where city officials acknowledge green space is lacking. -
Also meet the Long Beach aquarium's new CEO, who says the aquarium is expanding conservation efforts, including with sea turtles and zebra sharks.
Those areas, like Covington Flats, are places where the park has worked to clear up fire fuels to try to protect Joshua trees, which do not recover well from fire damage .
"Joshua trees do not like fire. They do not need fire. They do not want fire," Rockwell said. "When the ground area and the Joshua tree itself burns, it will scar and die. And it takes a very long time for the ground to recover for Joshua trees to then bloom."
Friday's fire started near Eureka Peak, according to Rockwell, a spot sought out by visitors for views of sunsets and bigger Joshua trees that the area is known for.
Rockwell said there is damage to sections of the Joshua tree forest in the area. She said park crews are out today to begin to assess the extent.
The fire is under investigation.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
