Iconic Giant Sequoia Falls Victim To Big California Storm

Among the saddest casualties of the big "atmospheric river" storm that has been battering California the past few days is a giant sequoia tree called Pioneer Cabin, reports the Los Angeles Times.

The tree was named for a tunnel that was carved into the enormous tree's base 137 years ago.

The tunnel through the tree was big enough to drive a car through, though in recent years the tunnel was only open to hikers.

There's pictures dating back to the late 1800s of people walking or driving through the tunnel in the tree.

"We lost an old friend today," said Jim Allday, who lives not far from the tree, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The Calaveras Big Tree Association Facebook page filled with memorials to the iconic tree today.

No one is sure how old this tunnel tree was, but many of the giant sequoias are estimated to be more than 1,000 years old.

Of course, the storm on the West Coast caused a lot more havoc than tearing down that iconic tree.

As expected, severe flooding and mudslides are plaguing California and Nevada. At least three deaths have been reported in California due to the flooding, which is being billed as the worst in a decade.

Parts of Interstate 80 were closed due to mudslides. As can be expected in this situation, a lot of people have GPS in their cars. With I-80 closed, some of these people went for something called Henness Pass Road, which is a narrow, icy, muddy, scary mess. Many vehicles got stuck there today.

The wreckage of the iconic Pioneer Tree
Sequoia in California

As Washoe County sheriff's say, this is a lesson: Don't blindly follow your GPS.

There's a lot of flooding in western Nevada, too. About 1,300 residents were evacuated from near Reno, Nevada because of the flooding.

And it ain't over.  

Another two to three inches of rain in lower elevations and four to eight inches of rain in higher elevations is due Tuesday and Wednesday across much of northern California as the next in a series of storms comes ashore from the Pacific.

That's sure to continue the flooding in California.

The new storm is also another windy one.  High wind warnings are up for much of northern California Tuesday for wind gusts up to 65 mph.

I guess the only bright spot on the West Coast is there's signs of a break in the very stormy winter coming up toward the end of the week.

Incredible Time Lapse Shows Forest Fire Smoke Choking Lake Tahoe

The King Fire in California last week.
Photo by Noah Berger, Reuters.  

You've probably heard on the news about the so-called King Fire, a massive forest fire east of Sacramento California.

It has burned more than 87,500 acres, an area bigger in size than sprawling Atlanta, Georgia or Las Vegas, Nevada. It's still spreading amid shifting winds, drought and wicked hot temperatures.

Until recently, the King Fire pretty much avoided most homes, but now it's spreading into populated areas and has burned at least 22 structures and threatens more than 20,000 others.

A man named Wayne Allen Huntsman was charged with arson in connection with the fire and his bail was set at $10 million, local authorities said.

On Saturday, the wind abruptly shifted, bringing the smoke very fast over the Sierra Nevada mountains and into Lake Tahoe.

The onslaught of smoke forced the cancellation of the Ironman Lake Tahoe on Sunday, due to very sensible worries that vigorous exercise in dense smoke could be dangerous.

No doubt, the athletes were terribly disappointed. Says the Washington Post, quoting athlete Tom Kazukynas:

When the organizers of the Ironman announced that was canceled, athletes were crushed. 'Racers fell into the sand crying, total disbelief on some faces and shock on others,' said Kazukynas in an email. 'This Ironman is a once in a lifetime chance for many of the racers and to see the look of the athletes who just had taken away by an act of arson was absolutely heartbreaking."

A dense smoke advisory is still in effect around Lake Tahoe and Reno, Nevada due to the King Fire.

Here's that time lapse video showing the King Fire smoke invading the Lake Tahoe basin on Saturday. Pretty wild: