In September 2020, as crews outside Yosemite National Park worked to contain the oncoming Creek Fire and evacuate those in its path, archaeologist Jennie Leonard was racing to protect something that couldn’t leave: the giant sequoias in the Mariposa Grove. Leonard and her fellow resource advisors—who protect species, cultural items, and other resources from wildfire and fire-suppression activities—covered the bases of the ancient trees with structure wrap, a fire-resistant aluminum fabric. Each tree, Leonard recalled, “looked like a baked potato.” Advisors offer suggestions, not commands, but they learn to quickly identify how to protect resources in a variety of circumstances. On one fire, they might help position a fire crew campsite so that firefighters won’t haul gear through invasive weeds and accidentally spread seeds. On another, they might indicate where a bulldozer can safely construct a fireline to prevent erosion into a salmon-rich stream.