General Sherman is considered the world's largest tree with a height of 275 feet and 36 feet in diameter. It is the largest known living single-stem tree on Earth and estimated to be around 2,300 to 2,700 years old.

Aluminium foils were used by the Californian fire crew to protect the historical tree at the Sequoia National Park.

The Giant Forest Museum and other buildings were also wrapped for protection against the possibility of intense flames, fire spokeswoman Rebecca Paterson said.

Federal officials claim the wrapping material applied has been used to protect several sensitive trees for many years.

The Colony and the Paradise fires after gaining ignition from lightning had been spreading all week long as a threat to the sequoia presence.

In response, 350 firefighters, including water-dropping planes and helicopters were made available to stabilize the situation.

Though sequoia trees are naturally fire-resistant which in fact also helps them release seeds and make way for new sequoia trees, experts claim that with climate change it might be too much for them to withstand.

Under precautionary measures, the fire crew also utilised prescribed burns, used for clearing other trees and vegetation that feed the forest fires.

The recent fire is the newest addition to about 28 such occurrences this year in California, according to the Inciweb data.

A wildfire last year was responsible for killing sequoia trees in thousands.