Study Finds Coast Redwoods Resilient After 2020 Fires, Management Needed
A peer reviewed study led by Cal Poly Humboldt researcher Jeff Kane found most second growth coast redwoods survived and resprouted after the extreme 2020 fire season, while smaller trees were more likely to die. The research underscores that stand density and species composition, not just fire itself, drive severe effects, and it calls for active management to reduce risks to forests and nearby communities.
A new scientific analysis published November 10, 2025 in Forest Ecology and Management offers cautious optimism for coast redwood forests while drawing clear policy implications for communities facing escalating wildfire risk. The study, led by Jeff Kane of Cal Poly Humboldt with collaboration from Save the Redwoods League, examined forest response to major 2020 fire events including the CZU Lightning Complex, the Walbridge Fire, and the Dolan Fire. Researchers sampled more than 120 plots in second growth coast redwood stands and found that most redwoods survived intense burns and resprouted quickly. At the same time smaller trees were more likely to die, a form of natural thinning that may allow remaining trees to grow larger.
The study emphasises that forest structure, specifically stand density and species mix, strongly influenced wildfire severity in the sampled areas. Mixed stands containing higher proportions of fire sensitive species such as tanoak and Douglas fir and stands with higher overall density experienced greater severity. These findings shift attention from seeing the trees alone as victims to recognising how past management and stand conditions shape outcomes in extreme fire seasons.
For Humboldt County residents the research matters both ecologically and socially. Many local forests are second growth, and similar dynamics could influence how stands recover here after wildfire. Higher severity in dense mixed stands means that unmanaged areas near communities or critical infrastructure could produce heavier smoke and longer burn effects, with direct public health implications. Wildfire smoke disproportionately affects elders, children, people with respiratory conditions and low income households who may lack access to clean air spaces or evacuation resources. Planning and resources for defensible space, community shelters and air filtration must be part of any response.
The authors advocate active management to moderate modern wildfire intensity and support redwood resilience. Recommended actions include thinning, reducing fuel loads, and promoting more fire resistant species composition. Such measures require sustained funding, workforce capacity and meaningful collaboration with tribal nations, private landowners and conservation groups to balance ecosystem health and community protection. Save the Redwoods League contributed to the study, highlighting the conservation community interest in combining protection of iconic trees with practical risk reduction.
The paper is available in Forest Ecology and Management, DOI 10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123078. As Humboldt County faces longer fire seasons and increasing demands on public health systems, the study reinforces that proactive landscape level decisions can influence who is at risk and how forests recover.
