What is a Sequoia?

Sequoias, or redwood trees, grow in the western United

States, mostly in California and Oregon. Sequoias are some of
the oldest living things on earth. They are also among the
biggest. They often grow more than 30 meters high.

To tell the age of a tree, it is necessary to cut it down. The

trunk of the tree has rings. There is a ring for each year of life
of the tree. By counting the rings people can learn the age of
a tree. One sequoia had 3000 rings! Some sequoias are even
older.

Sequoias are ever-green trees, and their bark is very tough. It

is about 15 centimeter thick, and it is almost fireproof. The
fireproof bark has helped sequoias live through many forest
fires.