"The Senator" is now dead

[Florida1118]

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2012/01/16/von-historic-tree-burns.wkmg

The world's 5th oldest tree, named "The Senator" is dead. It burned to the ground at about 545 am EDT. It was a national monument, and if it was arson, the person who did it will face Federal Charges. Considering it was a 3500 year old tree, it is about 1500 years older than Jesus. So, for those that say "Oh it was just a tree", well, in that thinking the flag is a piece of cloth and the the statue of liberty is a hunk of copper.

[O Town]

I have taken my kids to Big Tree Park many of times to visit The Senator. And when I was a kid my dad took me. We live about 20 minutes away. I know it had been struck by lightning in the past and survived many of fires. Seems very suspicious to me, I haven't read or watched much yet but Im wondering why they couldn't get the fire out before it completely burned? Its not that far back in the woods from the parking lot. There is another old tree there as well but not not nearly as old as The Senator. Very sad event

[Stephanie]

It was in my local newspaper up here. What a shame. Were there any thunderstorms around that area recently?

[dizzyfish]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/loc ... 2574.story

By Susan Jacobson, Orlando Sentinel

11:16 p.m. EST, February 28, 2012
A woman on Tuesday was charged with setting a fire that burned The Senator, one of the world's oldest cypress trees -- and she told authorities she did it because she was wanted light to see the drugs she was doing, investigators said.

Two witnesses identified Sara Barnes, 26, as the person who set the fire, authorities said.

Barnes took photos of the flames with her cellphone and told one of the witnesses that she started it, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said.


See link above for the rest. What a looooooser!!!

[Stephanie]

What a disgrace!