General Sherman has been shored up against encroaching wildfires.

The largest tree in the entire world is located in Sequoia National Park in California. This tree, nicknamed General Sherman, can be found in the park’s Giant Forest, towering over the trees at 275 feet in height and 103 feet in circumference. However, as big as General Sherman is, it is not immune to the ravages of nature, fire especially, and as wildfires grow increasingly out of control in the Californian northwest, measures have had to be taken to keep this natural wonder safe.

In an effort to protect General Sherman from the wildfires raging in the Sierra Nevada, firefighters have wrapped the tree’s base in an aluminum-sided fireproof blanket. These blankets are designed to protect vulnerable installations from fires, and can withstand intense external heat for brief periods. Alongside General Sherman, several other sequoia trees, the nearby Giant Forest Museum, and other local buildings have also received safety wraps. These wraps have a proven track record in defending constructs and flora from fires, with several homes located near Lake Tahoe surviving the recent fires thanks to the same tactics.

Fire officials believe that the closest fire in the Sierra Nevada, the Colony Fire, could make contact with the Giant Forest in a matter of days unless it’s successfully contained. In recent years, multiple massive sequoia trees, some as tall as high-rise skyscrapers, have been completely incinerated by wildfires. Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks Superintendent Clay Jordan has stressed the importance of preserving the Giant Forest, putting his faith in local firefighting teams to keep it safe.