Doerner Fir Firefighting Efforts Continue

A historic coastal tree in southern Oregon faces damage as firefighters work to extinguish a fire inside the Doerner Fir.

Fire Hits Doerner Fir as Crews Fight to Save Historic Tree

The Doerner Fir, a coastal Douglas Fir taller than 325 feet, has been burning since Saturday in Coos County. The tree is estimated to be more than 450 years old. An infrared drone detected heat inside a cavity about 280 feet up, complicating efforts to douse the flames.

Fire crews are weighing options to reach the cavity with water, including building scaffolding or climbing adjacent trees, or letting the fire smolder while monitoring for reignition. A helicopter was on standby for water drops, while sprinklers were placed at the base and containment lines were built to slow spread. Investigators ruled out lightning as the fire’s cause, and officials say the tree is not in immediate danger of burning through due to its mass.

The Doerner Fir has become a symbol of how communities value living landmarks. The firefighting challenge shows the limits of conventional methods when dealing with ancient living architecture, where a cavity can hold a lifetime of history.

As climate risks rise and wildfires grow more frequent, decisions about how much risk and how many resources to devote to protecting heritage trees will shape policy and public trust. The incident tests not just firefighting skills but how agencies talk with people who care about a living monument.

Highlights

The outcome may shape how communities defend other living landmarks.