Researchers from UC Davis, the U.S. Geological Survey, and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks have published findings demonstrating the protective effects of prescribed burning on giant sequoia survival during extreme wildfires. The study, appearing in Nature Communications, analyzed survival rates of approximately 26,400 giant sequoias across 19 groves affected by the 2020 Castle Fire and the 2021 KNP Complex Fire.
The analysis revealed that trees exposed to prescribed burns within the previous decade experienced a 77% reduction in mortality risk compared to untreated trees in the same areas. Trees in previously treated sections were approximately four times more likely to survive the catastrophic wildfires than those in untreated portions. Using airborne lidar technology and high-resolution satellite imagery, researchers estimated that earlier prescribed burns prevented roughly 1,900 giant sequoia deaths, with an additional 3,900 trees potentially surviving had similar treatment been applied throughout affected groves.
Giant sequoias are among Earth’s largest and longest-living organisms, with individual trees capable of surviving more than 3,000 years. These trees naturally evolved in fire-shaped landscapes and possess adaptations including thick bark and elevated canopies suited to periodic, low-intensity fires. However, the extreme wildfire conditions of recent years have challenged even these exceptionally resilient trees, with significant mortality occurring across multiple groves.
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks have maintained one of the nation’s most extensive prescribed fire programs since the 1960s, creating varied fire histories across different grove sections that enabled the research comparison. The study provides evidence that prescribed burning remains an essential management tool for protecting giant sequoia populations as climate change increases wildfire frequency and severity in old-growth forest ecosystems.
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