加州大学戴维斯分校的最新研究证实，在过去十年内接受可控火烧处理的巨杉，其在野火中的存活率远高于未经处理的树木。[1]该研究分析了约26400棵巨杉在2020年城堡火灾和2021年KNP综合火灾中的表现，发现经过可控火烧处理的树木存活概率提高了约77%，是未处理树木存活率的近四倍。[1]
根据这一发现，研究人员估计可控火烧防止了约1900棵巨杉的死亡。[1]若将该防护措施推广到所有林区，可能还有另外3900棵古树得以拯救。[1]研究负责人Dan Dixon表示，"如果目标是保护巨杉，可控火烧是管理者手中的必要工具。"[1]这项研究成果已于2026年发表在《自然通讯》期刊上，由加州大学戴维斯分校、美国地质调查局和美国宇航局等机构联合完成。[1]
Researchers at the University of California, Davis have demonstrated that controlled burning offers substantial benefits for giant sequoia survival during catastrophic wildfires.[1] Among approximately 26,400 giant sequoias analyzed across 19 groves affected by the 2020 Castle Fire and 2021 KNP Complex Fire, those treated with controlled burns over the preceding decade showed survival rates nearly four times higher than untreated trees.[1] The study, published in Nature Communications, estimates that controlled burning prevented the death of roughly 1,900 sequoias in the examined areas, with potential to save approximately 3,900 additional trees if the practice were expanded across all groves.[1]
Dan Dixon, the study's lead researcher, stated that "if the goal is to protect giant sequoias, controlled burning is a necessary tool in the manager's toolkit."[1] The findings, developed in collaboration with the U.S. Geological Survey and NASA, suggest that proactive fuel reduction through carefully managed burns substantially enhances these ancient trees' resilience against uncontrolled wildfire.[1]