Specialist firefighters in a secret operation recently saved the world’s last standing of Wollemi Pines, also called “dinosaur trees”, from near extinction in the devastating wildfires sweeping through parts of Australia.

In what was described as an “unprecedented environmental protection mission,” specialists firefighters managed to preserve the last wild stand of dinosaur trees. They dropped large bombs of water and fire retardants in a protective ring around the trees, which are tucked in a gorge in the World Heritage Blue Mountains, northeast of Sydney, New South Wales. In the recent fires, the state of NSW has been worst and ravaged by the most intense fires. 

Late last year, the scorching flames seared dangerously close to the fewer than 200 Wollemi Pines still standing in the Wollemi National Park. Wildlife conservationists foresaw the end of a pre-historic species if actions weren’t taken quickly. 

Read More: Australia is Dropping Vegetables From Choppers to Feed Wildlife Starved by Fires

“Wollemi National Park is the only place in the world where these trees are found in the wild and, with less than 200 left, we knew we needed to do everything we could to save them,” NSW Environment and Energy Minister Matt Kean said to the Sydney Morning Herald [1]. Unfortunately, much of Wollemi Park was burnt, but the dinosaur trees were saved.

Video footage showed firefighters of the NPWS crew lowered from choppers into the gorge to set up irrigation systems and douse the raging flames. This was intended to slow the progress of the fires through high soil moisture. Although the barks of some of the trees were charred, the grove was saved and is being protected against any re-occurrences.

“The fire did go through there, we had a few days of thick smoke so we couldn’t tell if they’d been damaged. We all waited with bated breath,” Kean said to ABC radio. “It’s just been a phenomenal success story.”

Older than dinosaurs

Before 1994, Wollemi Pines were believed to be extinct and were only seen in fossils, some dating back hundreds of millions of years, long before the dinosaur era. An average dinosaur tree grows up to 40-meters (130-feet) high. Not much is known about the trees since they are so old and highly-protected. 

According to Minister Kean, the fire incident would give environmentalists and ecologists a chance to study the tree’s reaction to fire and extremely high temperatures. It would also help to record the rate of recovery from damage with the burnt trees.

Wollemi Park is not the only location where the trees are found. As with many other endangered species, the trees were propagated and reproduced in several other safe locations around the world. However, Wollemi Park is the only where the trees are native to the area.

The park is a closely-guarded location since trespassing has remained a major issue for a long time.

“Illegal visitation remains a significant threat to the Wollemi Pines survival in the wild due to the risk of trampling regenerating plants and introducing diseases which could devastate the remaining populations and their recovery,” Kean said [2].

Read: “Wildlife Warriors”: Steve Irwin’s Family Helps Over 90,000 Animals as Fires Rage in Australia

Australia will pull through

In one of the most devastating cases in the history of wildfires, Australia has suffered massive loss and destruction with wildfires tearing through the country since September 2019 [3]. 28 people have been killed in the disaster and many more are left ill with respiratory illnesses, burns, and severe scalds. Nearly a billion animals have been killed so far, with entire populations being decimated in some areas. Over 16 million acres of forest and bushes have been destroyed. In New South Wales alone, 3,000 homes have been razed to the ground, displacing thousands of people.

Light rains earlier this year brought a bit of relief to the country, but they are not out of the woods yet. In truth, the situation may have gone from bad to worse. 

The country has many years of recovery ahead, but they will pull through. 

Image Credits: AFP.com

Read More: Amazing Photos Show Plants Already Re-Growing Through Ashes in a Burnt Australian Forest

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