Controlled Burns Save 1,900 Giant Sequoias from Wildfires
A recent study published in *Nature Communications* highlights the critical role of controlled burns in protecting giant sequoias in California's Sierra Nevada mountains. These ancient trees, some of which are over 3,000 years old and can grow more than 300 feet tall, are increasingly threatened by intense wildfires fueled by hotter and drier conditions. The study analyzed over 26,000 sequoias and found that trees treated with prescribed burns in the past decade were four times more likely to survive devastating wildfires like the 2020 Castle Fire and 2021 KNP Complex Fire. These two fires alone killed approximately 13,000 sequoias, nearly 20% of the species. However, prescribed burns saved an estimated 1,900 trees, and researchers suggest that an additional 3,900 could have been saved with more widespread use of this method. 
