It began Friday in the New York Mountains of California’s Mojave National Preserve and crossed state lines into Nevada on Sunday. The fire is burning through and threatening groves of Joshua trees – the branching, spiky plants of the Mojave Desert that can live more than 150 years. The Mojave National Preserve is a significant hotspot for biodiversity, with one conservationist calling it the “crown jewel” of the deserts of Southern California. But rain in the Mojave Desert, which is seasonal and scarce, “poses a unique challenge to firefighters,” the Mojave National Preserve said. They will be on the lookout for desert tortoises, making sure to avoid burrows and active individuals,” the Mojave National Preserve said.

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Persons: Joshua, Joshua trees, Marc Peebles, Cody Hanford, “, ” Hanford, David Swanson, ” Laura Cunningham, ” Cunningham Organizations: CNN, York, Land Trust, Getty, Mojave, KVVU, National Park Service, Park Service Mojave National, Firefighters, National Interagency Fire Center, Preserve, “ Locations: California, Nevada, New York, Southern California, Mexico, AFP, Cima