Flame against fire: this preventive measure in California’s forests has boosted the survival chances of ancient giants

Prescribed burns reduce giant sequoia mortality by 77% during extreme wildfire events, according to a study from the University of California, Davis, published in Nature Communications. Researchers analyzed 26,400 trees across 19 groves in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. The study focused on areas hit by the Castle Fire (2020) and the KNP Complex Fire (2021). By integrating airborne lidar data with PlanetScope satellite imagery, the team mapped the volume of surface fuels-dry brush and