As we ascended the plateau and caught our first glimpse of the Washington Tree, all six people in our party stopped and stared. The group fell silent as each individual mourned in their own private way.

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On Monday, Oct. 27, John and Sarah Elliott, publishers of The Kaweah Commonwealth, met their National Park Service escorts at the new Pinewood Picnic Area, about a mile north of the Giant Forest Museum along Generals Highway. After suiting up in gear necessary for safety in an active fire area — Nomex fire-resistant shirts and pants, gloves, and hardhats, and carrying fire shelters — we headed out cross-country to view firsthand the damage sustained to one of the largest and oldest living things on Earth. Leading the way was Nate Stephenson, USGS research ecologist, accompanied by Sequoia Park’s Jody Lyle, fire information officer; Dave Allen, district fire management officer; and Alex Picavet, public information officer.