Hundreds of Joshua trees were scorched during the shutdown

"This was "a nightmare scenario," said a firefighter with the park, who also spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. During the last government shutdown six years ago, the revelation that vandals appeared to have chopped down a few of the Dr. Seuss-esque trees grabbed national headlines. In this instance, the firefighter estimates more than a thousand trees were torched."

"It was her first day back, and she had just walked through a sea of scorched Joshua trees rising from blackened earth, their dagger-like leaves bleached an unhealthy yellow. It was one of the spots in the park where the trees are supposed to be able to live, even 100 years from now, the ranger said, when most places in the park will not be suitable for Joshua trees."

One day after the government shutdown ended, a ranger returned and found a dense Joshua tree woodland scorched and yellowed. The burn occurred in a higher-elevation area considered a climate refuge where trees may be able to persist long-term. Firefighters contained the blaze at about 72 acres, but surveyors estimate more than a thousand trees were torched. The blaze began when a park visitor lit toilet paper on fire. Reduced ranger staffing during the shutdown limited on-site fire-safety education and presence. The Department of the Interior is investigating the fire, and conservationists warn of long-term loss for future generations of trees.

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