The fires that we see today are unprecedented in both scale and toll — fueled by prolonged droughts, rising temperatures, extended warm seasons, and shifting weather patterns.
While fire has long played an important role in forest ecosystems — clearing undergrowth, recycling nutrients, and curbing disease and pests — today’s conditions have created megafires. Defined as blazes that burn more than 100,000 acres with far-reaching consequences on people and the environment, these massive fires are fast-moving, unpredictable, and often uncontrollable. Their frequency has surged by 1,000% over the past 40 years. You’ve seen their names and devastation in headlines: Camp fire, Maui fire, Taylor Complex fire, and Palisades fire to name a few. They reduced entire communities to ash. Homes gone. Schools, local businesses, and places of worship left unrecognizable. The steps we take today to plan, prepare, and replant lay the foundation for tomorrow's recovery.
The ferocity of the flames
The size, heat, and frequency of wildfires are intensifying. And so is the destruction they cause.
*Based on news reports
2x
Increase in frequency and intensity of extreme wildfires in the last two decades
$893B
Approximate annual cost of damage in the U.S.
~ 16,000
Annual U.S. deaths from health conditions worsened by wildfire smoke
A few of the wildfires that shaped recovery
Yellowstone Fires
In 1988, more than 1.4 million acres of the greater Yellowstone burned so intensely, it destroyed the seeds needed to naturally regenerate the forest. Intensified by the park’s driest summer on record and ignited by a lightning strike, it became the park’s most devastating wildfire. That fire launched our extensive reforestation history and a decades-long, multi-project partnership with the US Forest Service. Millions of trees were planted by hand in the park’s steep terrain, restoring water quality, growing wildlife habitat for Yellowstone’s iconic species, and reviving the vital biodiversity that makes the park an irreplaceable part of our nation’s landscape.
Brazilian Amazon Fires
Known as the lungs of the world, the Brazilian Amazon is vital to the health of our planet. For years, it has faced devastation from agribusiness, and in 2019 it endured its worst fire season in history, with more than 80,000 fires — an 80% increase from the previous year — devastating Indigenous lands and threatening critical biodiversity. In response, we worked with our local planting partner and Indigenous groups to plant 1 million trees, establish agroforestry systems for food security, and support sustainable livelihoods. This work is crucial and continues today, strengthening fire prevention, protecting the carbon-rich forests, and honoring the stewardship of Indigenous communities who have safeguarded the Amazon for millennia.
Camp and Carr Wildfires
In 2018, California faced a devastating milestone in its fire history. Between July and December, an estimated 8,000 fires burned across the state, consuming 1.8 million acres of forestland. The Camp and Carr fires were particularly destructive, leaving the town of Paradise nearly wiped out. The scale of destruction highlighted the need for a new approach to recovery. Recognizing that wildfires will remain a part of the landscape, we made restoration a priority — planting fire-resilient trees to help forests withstand future blazes. Working with federal and local partners, we planted 3 million trees to restore landscapes, support wildlife habitat, and help communities heal while growing more resilient forests.
Tubbs Wildfire
Over the span of 23 days, the Tubbs fire tore through Santa Rosa, reducing more than 1,000 homes to rubble, leaving entire neighborhoods with nothing more than scorched soil, driveways, and sidewalks. We joined forces with supporters, local organizations, and volunteers to restore urban forests during Earth Day weekend in 2018 — distributing and planting trees, including fire-resilient species. Additional efforts were made to not only bring back the beauty and benefits of trees but to also prioritize long-term forest health. Through collaboration and resilience, Santa Rosa’s communities are rebuilding greener and stronger than before.
Bastrop County Complex Fire
In 2011, the Bastrop County Complex Fire swept through a drought-stricken central Texas: 32,400 acres of the Lost Pines Forest went up in flames, 1,600 homes destroyed, and 95% of Bastrop State park lost. As the most destructive fire in the state’s history, the aftermath spurred a five-year restoration effort to revive the unique landscape. Together with our partners, more than 4 million loblolly pine trees were planted across public and private lands, bringing life back to one of Texas' most iconic ecosystems.
Wildfire recovery calls for intention
Since the severity, unpredictability, and effects of wildfires vary widely, recovery requires a thoughtful, measured approach. That’s why we work closely with local partners who understand the land and the challenges communities face as they rebuild. Some projects take months; others span years. But no matter the timeline and scope, our commitment remains steadfast — empowering planting partners, restoring forests, supporting wildlife, and helping communities grow stronger and better prepared for the future.
Our approach
Understand and Evaluate
In the chaos of wildfires, we act quickly — connecting with local partners to ensure their safety and address immediate needs. Then we shift to planning recovery efforts, identifying when, where, and what to replant. While it takes at least 12 months for the soil to recover, preparation begins now. Understanding the affected areas, assessing damage, and mapping actions are critical steps in healing communities and forests.
A sustained approach
Whether restoring urban canopies or national forests, we prioritize long-term sustainability through care, management, and protection. Growing our global network of planting partners is also critical to a successful outcome. This work relies on strong partnerships with local planting partners, government agencies, corporate partners, and tree advocates to ensure new and existing trees thrive for generations. Planting alone isn’t enough. We must plant with intention and with a commitment to maintaining the health of trees and the communities they support.
Set priorities
Guided by the deep knowledge of our local planting partners, we identify high-priority regions where replanting is urgently needed, both in communities and forests, and where strong local support exists. With so much need across fire-damaged landscapes, we focus our efforts where we can create the greatest impact. When we can, we visit our local partners in affected areas to see the destruction firsthand and better determine how we can help. We then collaborate with individual donors and corporate partners to secure the necessary funds to restore lost canopy. Rebuilding after a wildfire is about fostering relationships as much as it is about planting trees. You need both to create lasting benefits for people, wildlife, and the planet.
Bold Vision
The world’s canopy is connected, spanning continents, crossing oceans, and linking ecosystems. Environmental changes in one region can destabilize forests on the other side of the globe. Trees lost in places like Brazil and the United States can create ripple effects that can reach as far as Australia. Deforestation on one continent fuels rising temperatures, disrupts rainfall patterns, accelerates habitat loss, and primes conditions for invasive species worldwide. What we choose to do in this moment will shape the health of our planet for generations. That’s why we must be bold enough to believe that we can grow a greener future together.
Los Angeles Wildfire Recovery
Recovery in areas affected by the LA wildfires will be ongoing for years. But work is already underway to maintain and protect surviving trees while preparing for replanting efforts in the future.
Recovery in communities
Communities impacted by wildfires often struggle to see a path forward. While we wait for conditions to become safer for replanting in forests, we work with corporate partners and donors to bring trees to neighborhoods, schools, parks, and shared spaces nearby to jump-start recovery. By working alongside local planting partners to engage residents through tree planting and distribution events, something incredible happens — people reclaim their hope. They see the promise that trees bring: cleaner air and water, healthier soil, the return of wildlife, and much more. When neighbors receive free trees and get their hands in the soil together, they feel empowered, connected, and optimistic about the future. Planting trees strengthens communities today, while laying the foundation for larger reforestation efforts ahead.
Recovery in forests
In the wake of increasing wildfires, hesitation around replanting scorched forests is common. What if the forest burns again? While a valid concern, the truth is: the risk of planting in areas that may one day face fires doesn’t outweigh everything forests provide. When we don’t replant, we lose far more — environmental balance, wildlife habitat, healthy soil, and clean, replenished aquafers. Forests are vital to our survival. That's why we focus on replanting in areas where trees are needed most, working with local experts who understand the land. They identify high priority areas, determine the right tree species, and collaborate with nurseries to cultivate the exact prescription for rebuilding the ecosystem.
Planting hope
As we brace for the growing ferocity of wildfires, we know that action taken together today is the only answer. With your support, we can replant communities and forests at the scale needed. Together, we’re not just restoring what was lost — we’re growing a future where people and nature thrive.
Protecting people and the planet
Trees touch every part of life on Earth. Explore how they make our world healthier, stronger, and more resilient.
Environmental impact
Trees are a powerful solution to some of today's environmental challenges, and those on the horizon.
Supporting biodiversity
With 80% of all life on earth calling forests home, trees play a vital role in sustaining biodiversity, offering food, habitat, and protection.
Strengthening communities
Urban trees in cities and towns are vital to healthier, more livable communities.