One of Oregon’s tallest and most storied trees, the Doerner Fir in Coos County, caught fire on Saturday, Aug. 16. Standing at 325 feet, the massive Douglas fir is among the tallest known in the world, and now firefighters are working around the clock to preserve it, according to a report from OPB.
The blaze was first reported at 2:30 p.m. on U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land east of Coquille. Crews from the Coos Forest Protective Association quickly responded, establishing a containment line and setting up sprinklers to prevent flames from spreading along the ground. Helicopter teams successfully knocked back fire in the canopy, but deep inside the tree—about 250 feet up—smoldering flames continue to burn.
Because of the risk from falling debris, fire managers have ruled out sending climbing crews into the tree. Instead, crews are exploring alternative tactics to extinguish the interior fire. The Doerner Fir Recreation Area will remain closed until further notice.
Megan Harper, a public affairs specialist for the BLM, told OPB that while lightning strikes make tall trees more vulnerable, it’s unusual to see a fire of this nature.
“It’s actually pretty rare to have one of these big old trees catch fire like this,” Harper said. Still, she remains hopeful that Oregon’s iconic fir will survive. “Being a whole tree, the chances that the whole tree is going to burn is pretty small. I think that there will definitely be the Doerner Fir still there.”
The Doerner Fir, sometimes known historically as the Brummit Fir, is estimated to be at least 450 years old. While once surrounded by many other giant trees, decades of intensive logging have left it a rare survivor and a celebrated landmark.
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Fire investigators are still working to determine the cause of the blaze.
