Sequoia trees thrive in groves, mixed amongst sugar pine, ponderosa pine, white fir, incense cedar, and black oak. These groves are accustomed to 33 to 55 inches of rainfall per year, but the largest sequoia trees are commonly found on more moist sites. Climate in the area varies. Summers are hot and dry, but forests typically experience snow depths of 6.6 feet in midwinter. As a result of the dry summers, the species has adapted to frequent or severe fires. In fact, its only method of reproduction requires periodical fires throughout the region, which were commonly caused by lightening strikes before human fire prevention began. Larger trees have thick bark that can withstand high temperature fires, and leaves are typically far above the ground and away from ground fires. The wide trunk and great height keep a natural separation of its leaves from adjacent trees, which protects it from crown fires that could burn from one tree to the next. These adaptations promote photosynthesis and transport of food to the rest of the tree, making them integral to the tree's health
