Santa Rosa Firefighters 'Mop Up' Flames Burning in Large Redwood Tree

Santa Rosa firefighters fought a flaming redwood tree two weeks after the beginning of the LNU Lightning Complex fire, as firefighters were “mopping up” the wildfire near Guerneville, California.

Footage of the tree shows it internally burning within, with a firefighter extinguishing the flames.

The Santa Rosa firefighter union wrote on Instagram: “The overhaul and ‘mopping up’ phase of a wildland fire is just as important as the suppression phase. During mop-up firefighters check for hot spots in the fire’s foot print as well as within trees. If unchecked, areas of the fire could smolder and burn for days, weeks and even months after suppression efforts are complete.”

The LNU Complex Fire started on August 17 and had since burned over 375,000 acres and destroyed 1,491 structures. The blaze was considered 88 percent contained on September 4 by CAL FIRE. Credit: santarosafirefighters via Storyful