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During the government shutdown, a fire burned hundreds of Joshua trees in California's Joshua Tree National Park. According to the Los Angeles Times, the fire occurred in an area of the park where Joshua trees are supposed to be able to live for the next 100 years, when most places in the park will no longer be suitable for the trees.
The area is one of the park’s densest Joshua tree woodlands, and is at a higher elevation than most of the park, making it a climate refuge for the iconic trees.
According to a park firefighter, the fire began last month when a park visitor lit his toilet paper on fire. Firefighters stopped the fire at 72 acres, but many trees had already burned. The firefighter described it as a “totally avoidable tragedy,” as rangers could have provided important education about fire safety had they not been furloughed or fired during the shutdown.
The firefighter added that normally they would try to restore the habitat, but even with the government reopened, operations remain hobbled by permanent staff losses. These losses disproportionately affect conservation and restoration, including saving Joshua trees and desert tortoises.
“So we’re going to have to do less. We can’t do as much to save the trees,” he said.
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This is not only a Pueblo issue, it's an American issue about history, heritage and a landscape recognized around the world.”
