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Doerner Fir Fire Under Watch

Firefighters work to save the Doerner Fir in Coos County as it burns inside the trunk, potentially changing its height ranking.

August 20, 2025 at 12:09 PM
blur A fire is burning in one of the world's tallest trees. It may lower the tree's standing in global height rankings.

Firefighters work to protect the Doerner Fir, a historic giant in Oregon that could drop in height if the flame damage deepens.

Doerner Fir Fire Alters Height Ranking

Portland, Ore. — The Doerner Fir, a coastal Douglas Fir taller than 325 feet and about 450 years old, has been burning since Saturday in Coos County. An infrared drone detected heat in a cavity roughly 280 feet up the trunk, complicating firefighting because access from the ground is limited. Crews are weighing options such as scaffolding or climbing nearby trees to reach the hot spot, with a helicopter on standby for water drops.

Sprinklers have been placed at the base and containment lines set around the tree. Helicopter bucket drops helped reduce activity near the top, and the forest protection group says the tree is not yet in danger of burning through. A section of the top had flames earlier, but weather and suppression efforts have slowed the spread. Public lands around the suppression area are closed to protect responders. Investigators have ruled out lightning as the cause; the precise ignition remains under review. Officials caution the tree could lose more height if the damage continues, affecting its standing in global height rankings.

Key Takeaways

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The Doerner Fir is a historic giant at risk from a tree-top fire.
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Infrared heat in a trunk cavity complicates suppression efforts.
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Base sprinklers and top containment help slow the fire.
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Lightning was ruled out as the ignition source.
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Nearby public lands are closed for safety and operations.
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The incident could change the tree’s official height ranking if damage deepens.

"The tree is so big, it's got so much mass that it would take a while for it to burn all the way through."

Megan Harper of the Bureau of Land Management on the top fire risk

"There's a lot of history there, and so we don't want to lose it."

Heritage value and public sentiment expressed by officials

"We don't want to lose it."

Public message from firefighting and protection teams

"The tree is still a magnificent tree."

Status update on the Doerner Fir

The Doerner Fir is more than a landmark; it represents a moment when nature and local pride collide with risk and resource limits. Climate-driven dryness and heat raise the likelihood of fires climbing into the tallest living organisms, creating cases where preservation requires costly, careful work. Saving the tree means balancing public access, firefighting logistics, and scientific interest in its height record.

The firefighting choices reveal limits. Reaching a cavity high in the trunk requires difficult positioning and safety trade-offs, while keeping spectators away from the suppression zone is essential. The outcome will test how communities value historic living monuments when they face the practical realities of wildfire management and a warming, more volatile climate.

Highlights

  • This tree is so big it would take a while to burn all the way through.
  • We don't want to lose it.
  • There's a lot of history there and we don't want to lose it.
  • The tree is still a magnificent tree.

Public lands closure and heritage risk from Doerner Fir fire

The incident involves public lands closures, preservation of a globally prominent tree, and potential changes to a scientific height record. The situation touches on environmental stewardship, public access, and funding needs for firefighting in fragile ecosystems.

The Doerner Fir stands as a test for conservation and responsible fire management in a warming era.

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