Last weekend, Sequoia co-founder
Yogi Agrawal and 8 volunteers plannted 500 Douglas Firs
near Yakima, WA in a forest that had sustained fire damage. Old Douglas firs are very fire-resistant, due largely to the protective bark that develops with age. In contrast, the thin bark of young trees offers little protection,even from low-intensity fires. The thin bark begins to thicken and develop vertical fissures as trees mature, but can take up to 200 years to become hardy & fire restistant.
Read more about Washingotn’s Douglas Firs in this publication by Wasington’s Department of Natural Resources.
2020 saw the worst fire season on record for Washington, Oregon, and California. This seasons is part of a larger trend of West Coast wildfires intensifying in size & effects.