• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Fire destroys world's 5th oldest tree

Analog

Analog

Lifer
"The Senator" was the tallest cypress tree in the United States, and believed to be the oldest of its kind in North America, and the fifth oldest tree in the world.
Officials with Seminole Fire Rescue said they do not believe the fire is the result of arson.
A passer-by reported the fire around 5:45 a.m. Monday.
Crews had to lay over 800 feet of hose just to get to the tree, but Steve Wright, with Seminole County Fire Rescue, said they could not save "The Senator."
The tree was so old and hollow that it burned from the inside out.
“We saw some of the helicopter views,” Winfree said. “It looked like a giant torch.”


http://www.cfnews13.com/article/new...5th-oldest-tree-destroyed-by-fire-in-Longwood
 
I blame the sky people.

That actually is sad though. I'm sure it meant a lot to some people. It kind of reminds me when I was a kid, me and my friends used to hang out at a local park that had lot of big cedar trees. We pretty much knew most of the trees, but there was this one very big tree that was pretty much our "base" so to speak. We'd sometimes go up there and just hang out, literally.

One summer we had a huge storm that knocked out like 2/3 of the trees in that park. As fast as I could after things had settled I biked there to go check on the tree, and rejoiced when it was fine. But a lot of the other trees had been affected badly. Lot of them were cut down completely and it was just so sad. That was probably like 10ish years ago, if more.

I'd say maybe a few years back, I actually went by there for fun, for some good nostalgia of great times with friends who have now moved on their own ways. I was actually kinda sad to see that every single tree was now gone, including ours. I'm guessing the ones that survived were probably still in bad shape, and it was probably at a point of being a safety issue.
 
That sucks.

I thought the oldest tree in N.A. was a bristlecone pine out in one of the Western states?

Fern
 
Newbian said:
What I don't understand is was it still alive as they said it was hallow or is that something those types of trees do as they get that big / old?
Click to expand...

Not sure how they hollow out other then rot and decay. My neighbor has a 70' pine and the base up to about 8' is pretty much rotted out. Years ago he filled it with concrete and it's still humming along.
 
tumblr_lvl2ty326A1r6ckc2o1_500.jpg
 
Tweak155 said:
Also relevant: 5th oldest tree (was) 3,500 years old by estimates. Should be included in OP or title.
Click to expand...

Wow that's crazy! I wonder how it was preserved that long. You'd think at some point a forest fire would have taken it out sooner. I guess that point was, now? :biggrin:
 
damn that sucks. amazing to think that these trees have just been sitting around, doing nothing, in the same spot, for all of our recorded history.
 
paperfist said:
Not sure how they hollow out other then rot and decay. My neighbor has a 70' pine and the base up to about 8' is pretty much rotted out. Years ago he filled it with concrete and it's still humming along.
Click to expand...

That's kinda cool. 😛

Would have to wonder how stable that would be and would be a pain to clean up if it ever tips over but I bet this tree pisses the woodpeckers a lot.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top