California wildfires burn into groves of giant sequoia trees

THREE RIVERS, Calif. (AP) — California wildfires have burned into at least four groves of gigantic ancient sequoias in national parks and forests. But cooler weather Friday helped crews trying to keep the flames away from a famous cluster containing the world’s largest tree. The fires lapped into the groves with trees that can be up to 200 feet tall and 2,000 years old in Sequoia National Park and Sequoia National Forest. Fire officials haven’t yet been able to determine how much damage was done to the groves. Flames are still about a mile from the famed Giant Forest, where special aluminum wrapping is aiming to protect the base of the General Sherman Tree, the world’s largest by volume.