A 325-foot (99-meter) Douglas fir tree (not pictured) continues to burn in Coquille, Oregon. (Photo: Avalon/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
The Oregon coast is ablaze with the region's tallest spruce trees.
Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) forms the backbone of Oregon's forest cover, but the Burning Doerner Fir is especially valuable. It reaches nearly 330 feet in height with a trunk girth of 12 feet. This giant tree is among the largest examples of its coastal variety and is considered one of the most massive plants on the planet.
This natural giant is estimated to be at least 450 years old. It is located in a forested area east of Coquille, which is managed by the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
You may be interested in
-
Grand Canyon Dragon Fire Destroys Historic Structure, Releases Hazardous Materials
-
Mesmerizing Spectacle: Kilauea Volcano's 300-Meter Lava Fountains Show Rarest Type of Eruption
-
Amazon rainforest close to tipping point, threatening to turn into savannah
The Coos FPA posted a post about the fire on its Facebook page on Sunday, August 17. The fire was first reported on August 16 and continues to threaten the Doerner Fir. According to the organization, the fire was initially detected in the tree's canopy and then spread along the trunk. No other plants in the area were damaged.
Coos FPA rescue teams took a range of measures, including creating a protective perimeter at the base, wetting the lower parts of the trunk to prevent the fire from spreading, and using helicopters to drop water charges on the top.
As reported in an updated post by Coos FPA, the BLM has deployed drones to provide aerial imagery of the canopy to help develop a fire suppression strategy.
By the evening of Tuesday, August 19, the visible flames had disappeared. However, thermographic data from drones revealed an active smoldering fire inside the trunk at an altitude of about 76 meters.
Coos FPA forecasts worsening weather conditions with rising temperatures and falling humidity, keeping staff on high alert.
RELATED MATERIALS
— When did the first forests appear on the planet?
—Is there a scientific definition of a tree?
— Record holder for height among trees
The fire destroyed about 50 feet of the top half of the ancient tree, BLM spokeswoman Megan Harper told the AP. Despite the loss of height, experts expect the tree to remain viable.
“The sheer size and mass of the barrel means it will take a significant amount of time to burn out completely,” Harper explained in an interview with the agency.
BLM fire investigators ruled out lightning as the cause of the fire after analyzing weather data. The investigation into the fire is ongoing and is being led by the Coosa County Department of Ecology.
Mindy Weisberger, Social Media Correspondent, Live Science
Mindy Weisberger is the current editor of Scholastic and a former Live Science contributor. Her expertise includes climate change, paleontology, biology, and space. A graduate of Columbia University's film school, she joined the science
Sourse: www.livescience.com
