Dying Redwood tree gets new life with firefighter sculpture in Upland

For nearly 80 years the large redwood tree stood proudly in front of San Bernardino County Fire Station 12 at the corner of Euclid Avenue and 24th Street in San Antonio Heights.

The stately tree continued to grow strong until disease caught up with it and the mighty tree was forced to be cut down leaving only a 10-foot high stump.

The tree was beloved by the local community and by the firefighters at Station 12 as well.

That's when the idea to turn what was left of the California Redwood into a symbol of its greatness came to be.

Wood sculptor Eric Garcia, 37, from Ontario, was commissioned by the San Bernardino County Fire Department to work his magic on the old stump.

Using only a selection of chainsaws and small grinders, Garcia, who has been sculpturing trees for the past 7 years, created a stunning 8-foot high sculpture of a firefighter in turnout gear.

Over the past few weeks, Garcia has been putting in long days to create his one of a kind sculpture.

"I’ve got the whole community watching me," Garcia said. "I feel very honored to do this for this fire station and for this community."

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