NASA Study: Controlled Burns Cut Giant Sequoia Fire Deaths by 75%
Giant sequoias, which can survive for up to 3,000 years, have suffered unprecedented losses in recent California wildfire seasons, with roughly one in five trees destroyed. A NASA-funded study has found that prescribed burning significantly boosts their chances of survival. Mature sequoias growing in forests that had undergone controlled burns were four times less likely to perish in wildfires. This is because managed burns reduce combustible fuel on the forest floor, causing fires to spread at lower intensity. Researchers are now calling for an expansion of prescribed burning programs to protect these ancient trees from future wildfires.
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