4. Yosemite National Park – Rim Fire’s Ravages
In 2013, the Rim Fire swept through the Sierra Nevada, scorching over 250,000 acres and threatening Yosemite’s iconic vistas like El Capitan and Half Dome. The blaze transformed beloved landscapes, blackening forests and closing popular viewpoints for months. Recovery efforts focused on replanting native species and stabilizing slopes to prevent erosion. The Rim Fire’s scale prompted a new era of fire management, emphasizing both prevention and the ecological role of fire. Explore the recovery at the National Park Service.
