Prescribed burns boost sequoia survival

A study led by the University of California, Davis, published in Tata Communications, found that giant sequoias treated with prescribed fire in the decade before the 2020 Castle Fire and 2021 KNP Complex Fire were nearly four times more likely to survive than untreated trees. Using lidar and satellite imagery from Planet Labs, researchers analyzed about 26,400 sequoias across 19 groves in United States — Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Prescribed burns reduced mortality odds by 77%, preventing an estimated 1,900 deaths; an additional 3,900 could have been saved if all trees had been treated. The study highlights prescribed fire as a critical conservation tool against climate-driven wildfires.