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Fast Fact

95% of all the old growth redwood trees in California are on publicly owned state and national park land, much of it donated by private timber companies. [more]

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Fall 2007

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You can't often see the gases in our atmosphere, but when catastrophic wildfire ravages an overly dense forest, greenhouses gases become all-too present.

The smoke plumes that rise above wildfires spew greenhouse gases, particulate matter and other pollutants across hundreds of miles. Wildfire smoke is thick with hundreds of chemicals including carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and methane. Chemical reactions in the smoke can generate the precursors for substantial ozone concentrations.