World's Tallest Douglas Fir Loses Height After Fire Damage

There’s good news and bad news for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts in Oregon who were concerned about the fate of the Doerner Fir, a landmark located in the Coast Range Mountains that’s at the heart of a popular trail. Earlier this month, Mariah Johnston of the Salem Statesman Journal reported that the top of the tree had caught fire — and that local authorities were at work trying to stop the blaze.

On Friday night, the Coos Forest Protective Association provided an update on their efforts. “Firefighters are continuing to monitor the Doerner Fir tree following work done yesterday to extinguish remaining hotspots,” the organization wrote. “No smoke has been seen today, and firefighters will continue to monitor the tree for signs of fire, especially as the weather heats up this weekend.”

They went on to hail the contributions of the Bureau of Land Management, including providing a drone that was used to monitor heat levels on the tree and help make sure that the fire remained under control.

The recovery efforts have kept the landmark fir alive for future generations to behold, but the fire’s effects are clear to behold. As Oregon Public Broadcasting’s Cassandra Profita and Jule Gilfillan reported, the damage to the tree means that it is no longer the planet’s tallest Douglas fir. Its height was 327 feet before it caught fire. Their reporting cites federal officials who believe that the Doerner Fir is now approximately 50 feet shorter.

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Oregon Public Broadcasting also reported that the tree now has a sprinkler system in place that should help prevent future fires from harming it. As for what caused the fire, officials are still looking into that question. According to a report from Live Science, authorities believe that lightning was not behind the fire starting.

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Tobias Carroll lives and writes in New York City, and has been covering a wide variety of subjects — including (but not limited to) books, soccer and drinks — for many years. His writing has been published by the likes of the Los Angeles Times, Pitchfork, Literary Hub, Vulture, Punch, the New York Times and Men’s Journal. At InsideHook, he has…