Douglas-fir

Pseudotsuga menziesii · Pinaceae · all Pseudotsuga records · also called Douglas fir · Wikipedia

Is this one for your yard?

Enter your ZIP to see whether this is legal to plant in your state, and whether it survives your winter.

Douglas-fir is not a fire-resistant choice near a home; despite one Michigan recommendation, the overall verdict is highly flammable.

Five of six assessments advise against it. The USDA Forest Service and state Firewise programs place Douglas-fir in “Not Firewise,” the least favorable category on their four-part scale. Ashland, Oregon, prohibits new planting or propagation within 30 feet of any structure. Fire Safe Marin calls it fire-prone, while Girona’s fire-adapted gardening guide rates it inadvisable after considering fire research, fuel structure, maintenance, origin, invasiveness, and fire-service experience. A University of California compilation also reports that three references did not recommend Douglas-fir in high-fire-risk areas.

Michigan State University Extension is the lone contrary voice, calling the tree wildfire-resistant and recommending it for Michigan’s climate. Its finding comes from a binary, expert-curated list. The unfavorable findings come from several other approaches, including a municipal rule, regional plant lists, a broader qualitative method, and a compilation of earlier recommendations. Those differences do not establish why the sources disagree. The California compilation also cautions that underlying plant lists often use undefined terms and lack a scientific basis.

Douglas-fir is a pine-family tree that reaches about 75 feet at maturity. Given the weight of the unfavorable findings and the restriction imposed by Ashland, the practical choice is to keep it away from structures.

Fire-resistant trees instead

Form: tree
Mature height: ~75 ft
Light: Full sun
Water need: moderate
Rated in: Ashland, Oregon; California; Catalonia, Spain; Colorado, California, and northeastern United States +5

On this lot

1. Fire evidence and conditions

Fire evidence: Highly flammable — location does not change the cited classification.
Fire-performance conditions: 1 condition stated in cited fire-evidence rows.
Fire ecology context
Placement evidence: 5 source placement records; source schemes remain separate.
Evidence regions: Ashland, Oregon; California; Catalonia, Spain; Colorado, California, and northeastern United States; Global; Marin County, California; Michigan / Great Lakes; Yavapai County, Arizona; eastern US
Maintenance

Typed publication scope: 6 scopes across 6 cited fire sources

Prohibited Flammable Plants (Ashland Municipal Code 9.04) · Official scoped edition
- City of Ashland (OR footprint); partial normalized coverage · 2026-08-26
  This is a City of Ashland adoption fact, not statewide Oregon guidance or an experimental flammability result. FireApproved publishes 24 taxonomy-safe owners as city-level regulatory context. It applies to new planting and propagation within 30 feet of structures, including structures on adjacent lots; it is not projected as a blanket removal order for every established listed plant.
Fire Performance of Common Plants (Guide to Plants) · Official scoped edition
- CA; partial normalized coverage · 2026-08-29
  The guide presents itself as fire performance ratings for common landscape plants in a fire-prone California setting. FireApproved publishes 104 exact owners as republished California context. It is not an independent rating, a current endorsement, or parcel suitability.
Fire-Resistant Plants Common to Marin County · Official scoped edition
- Marin County (CA footprint); partial normalized coverage · 2019-01-01
  The publication is explicitly limited to plants common to Marin County. FireApproved publishes 104 exact owners as Marin regional context while retaining its placement, spacing, irrigation, and maintenance boundary. It is not statewide California guidance or parcel suitability.
Defensible Space Landscaping in the Urban/Wildland Interface: A Compilation of Fire Performance Ratings of Residential Landscape Plants · Official scoped edition
- CA; partial normalized coverage · 1997-07-01
  The UC Forest Products Laboratory says the guide covers properties of common California landscaping plants and was prepared for California fire agencies. FireApproved publishes 130 exact owners at historical California publication scope. The report is a 1997 compilation, not a current endorsement, site rating, or independent test of every row.
Wildfire-resistant Landscape Plants for Michigan (Extension Bulletin E2948) · Official scoped edition
- MI; partial normalized coverage · 2007-01-01
  Michigan State University Extension Bulletin E2948 is explicitly a list of wildfire-resistant landscape plants for Michigan and includes a Michigan-native field. FireApproved publishes 221 exact GBIF owners from 226 represented source rows and holds 15 complex or non-exact rows. This dated publication scope is not a current site-suitability determination.
Fire-Resistant and Fire-Prone Plants Common to Yavapai County (Bulletin 34) · Official scoped edition
- Yavapai County (AZ footprint); partial normalized coverage · 2025-03-14
  University of Arizona Cooperative Extension authors Bulletin 34 for Yavapai County. FireApproved publishes 198 exact source owners from its resistant and prone tables and keeps the county boundary visible. County publication scope is regional Arizona context, never statewide scope.

2. Why this plant is relevant here

State distribution: Documented in AZ, CA, CO, DC, DE, ID, MD, MN, MT, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, TX, UT, WA, WV, WY.
Native range: Current cited native range in AK, AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, TX, UT, WA, WY.
Introduced / established: 1 sourced range or established record. This is not an invasive warning.
USDA hardiness: 2 applicable cited hardiness statements overlap but have different boundaries; compare each complete source row.

3. Legal, ecological, and broader status

Legal-list status
Seed-list status
Reported invasive here
Broader regional context
Federal context

How to read this page

The status above is computed from the cited rows below: independent recommendations can support a fire-resistant result, an avoid row can produce keep-away, and disagreement stays visible as conflict. Placement notes preserve each source’s own scheme rather than translating unlike rules into one scale. This is evidence about a plant, not permission to plant it in every part of the defensible space; Zone 0 remains noncombustible.

Native and introduced range evidence

These are exact U.S. botanical-area records from the cited range source. Native and introduced describe biogeographic relationship, not fire performance or planting approval. Doubtful and extinct rows stay visible but do not count as current presence.

Current native

13

exact source areas

Current introduced

1

exact source area

Qualified

0

doubtful or extinct source rows

13 native source areas · World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16 v16, as of 2026-06-04

Alaska (AK)
Arizona (AZ)
California (CA)
Colorado (CO)
Idaho (ID)
Montana (MT)
New Mexico (NM)
Nevada (NV)
Oregon (OR)
Texas (TX)
Utah (UT)
Washington (WA)
Wyoming (WY)

1 introduced source area · World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16 v16, as of 2026-06-04

New York (NY)

The lossless worldwide derivative is retained once in the research corpus; object pages repeat only exact U.S. areas needed by the local lens. The JSON twin carries the same page assertions.

Plant hardiness evidence

These values describe the plant source. Your ZIP zone comes from the separate 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Whole-zone values stay whole-zone, and a single unresolved value is not treated as a tolerance range. Different source boundaries stay separate: overlapping statements are compared independently, while only ranges with no shared zone are called a conflict.

Eastern United States Fire Performance Plant Selector · record pseudotsuga-menziesii · 2016-wayback · as of 2026-08-26

Source prints 4 · single-value meaning unresolved · whole zone precision · source stated

Source taxon: Pseudotsuga menziesii · exact match.

Source location: Cold Hardiness Zone field in the recovered selector record.

Not used for comparison: The recovered selector prints one Cold Hardiness Zone value but does not define it as a minimum threshold or a one-zone range.
Wildfire-resistant Landscape Plants for Michigan (Extension Bulletin E2948) · record tree:Pseudotsuga menziesii · New, January 2007 · as of 2026-08-26

4–6 explicit range · whole zone precision · source stated

Source taxon: Pseudotsuga menziesii · exact match.

Source location: Table 1, tree row.
USDA PLANTS Database — Plant Characteristics · record PSME · PLANTS Help Document 2022; characteristics cache retrieved 2026-08-23 · as of 2026-08-26

Minimum 3b · no upper limit documented · half zone precision · derived containing band

Exact source measurement: -33°F; mapped only to its containing half-zone.

Source taxon: Pseudotsuga menziesii · source identifier match.

Source location: PlantCharacteristics record 15595, Temperature, Minimum (°F).

Conditions in the fire evidence

These describe tested or rated plant material. They are not horticultural maintenance instructions.

green: Cone calorimeter testing of vegetation — an update evidence row

Where its sources say to plant it

Placement rules below use each source's own distances or named zones, tied to its rating. They are not interchangeable with the directory's current Zone 0 guidance.

Eastern United States Fire Performance Plant Selector: Landscape Zone 4 — beyond 30 ft; outside the selector's recommendation area [Fire Performance Plant Selector landscape zone] (with its avoid rating)
Prohibited Flammable Plants: new planting or propagation restricted within 30 ft of any structure [Ashland Municipal Code setback] (with its avoid rating)
Guía de pirojardinería: not suitable inside the 25-metre maximum-risk zone [girona-2020-iuf-25m-suitability] (with its avoid rating)
Defensible Space Landscaping in the Urban/Wildland Interf…: Chapter 4, Landscape Vegetation Database [ucfpl-1997] (with its avoid rating)
Fire Performance of Common Plants: Table 2 (unfavorable in 3 or more references) [diablo-guide-to-plants-three-reference-vote] (with its avoid rating)

The evidence

Grouped by what each source concluded. Primary evidence rated the plant itself (a lab, field program, or original curation); corroboration compiled or republished another source's rating and resolves to its root lineage.

Avoids (7)

Eastern United States Fire Performance Plant Selector — USDA Forest Service Northeastern Area S&PF + state Firewise programs (WV, OH, PA, DE, DC, MD, NJ) · 2016-wayback · original source Primary evidence Keyed curation lineage: ufifas-srs-tree

“NOT Firewise (4)”

Unusual, destinctive cone with bracts sticking out between scales that look like the tail and rear legs of "mice".
Prohibited Flammable Plants (Ashland Municipal Code 9.04) — City of Ashland, Oregon (Fire & Rescue / Weed Abatement) · 2025 · original source Primary evidence Regulation lineage: pnw590-tree

“prohibited flammable plant” · original source

The City of Ashland restricts new planting or propagation within 30 ft of any structure, including structures on adjacent lots (AMC 9.04).
Guía de pirojardinería — guía práctica de jardinería adaptada a la prevención de incendios forestales — Diputació de Girona and Bombers de la Generalitat de Catalunya · 2020 Spanish edition · original source Primary evidence Expert-curated lineage: elvira-hernando-1989 + cooperem-tree

“DESACONSEJADA”

Pseudotsuga menziesii is rated “DESACONSEJADA” by the guide's qualitative IUF garden-suitability method. The method assumes species-specific care and integrates fire evidence with fuel structure, maintenance, origin, invasiveness, and expert fire-service experience.

Corroboration (4 rows from 4 sources)

Fire-Resistant Plants Common to Marin County — Fire Safe Marin · 2019 · original source Corroboration Expert-curated lineage: partially-independent

“listed as fire-prone”

Fire Safe Marin lists this taxon among common fire-prone plants in Marin County.
Defensible Space Landscaping in the Urban/Wildland Interface: A Compilation of Fire Performance Ratings of Residential Landscape Plants — University of California Forest Products Laboratory · Internal Report 36.01.137 (July 1997) · original source Corroboration Compilation lineage: ucfpl-berkeley

“Not recommended by 3 references for use in high fire risk areas.”

1997 Landscape Vegetation Database row: Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas fir). Preserved UCFPL transcription marker: U3.
Fire-Resistant and Fire-Prone Plants Common to Yavapai County (Bulletin 34) — University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Yavapai County · v1.2 · original source Corroboration Expert-curated lineage: unknown

“Fire-Prone Plants”

Listed as Douglas Fir — Pseudotsuga menziesii. The bulletin says fire-resistant plants tend to resist ignition when irrigated and maintained, while fire-prone plants may ignite readily and burn intensely.
Fire Performance of Common Plants (Guide to Plants) — Diablo Firesafe Council · live page captured 2026-08-29 · original source Corroboration Mirror lineage: ucfpl-berkeley resolves to Defensible Space Landscaping in the Urban/Wildland Interface: A Compilation of Fire Performance Ratings of Residential Landscape Plants

“Table 2: unfavorable fire performance rating in 3 or more references (refs 4,40,41)”

The Diablo Firesafe Council Guide to Plants lists Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas-fir) as tree, evergreen, in Table 2: plants with a unfavorable fire performance rating in 3 or more references. The guide cites 3 of its 57 numbered references for this row (4,40,41). The guide states the ranking terms in its underlying references were mostly undefined and makes no attempt to rank within the list, and that fire performance is compromised without maintenance.

Mid-scale / conditional (1)

Cone calorimeter testing of vegetation — an update — USDA Forest Service (White, Weise, Mackes & Dibble) · 2002 · original source Primary evidence Lab-tested lineage: usfs-fpl-cone-tree

“Measured; not in an author-named high or low relative-flammability group” · score 188 (green-PHRR-kW-m2) · condition: green

Table 4 reports 128% foliage moisture, green-sample PHRR 188 kW/m2, and dry-sample EHOC 17.9 MJ/kg.

Listed without a rating (205)

Corroboration (205 rows from 1 source)

FLAMITS: FLAMmability plant traiTS database — Dryad / Global Ecology and Biogeography · Dryad version 9 · original source Corroboration Trait database lineage: meta-aggregator

205 cited rows from this source; its identity, lineage and tier are stated once.
- Primary study Bianchi2019: Bianchi, L. O., Oddi, F .J., Muñoz, M., & Defossé, G. E. (2019). Comparison of leaf moisture content and ignition characteristics among native species and exotic conifers in Northwestern Patagonia, Argentina. Forest Science, 65, 375-386.
  
  Shared row context: plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device epiradiator; site Bianchi2019-1; sampling summer.
  - Shared measurement context: Ignitability measurement.
    - “time to flaming (s): 17.8”
      
      FLAMITS record 682.
    - “flammability value: 2.5”
      
      FLAMITS record 718.
    - “ignition frequency (%): 69.72”
      
      FLAMITS record 736.
  - “burning duration (s): 14.8”
    
    FLAMITS record 700; Sustainability measurement.
- Primary study Blackhall2019: Blackhall, M., & Raffaele, E. (2019). Flammability of Patagonian invaders and natives: When exotic plant species affect live fine fuel ignitability in wildland-urban interfaces. Landscape and Urban Planning, 189, 1-10.
  
  Shared row context: plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying no; device epiradiator; site Blackhall2019-1; sampling february.
  - Shared measurement context: Ignitability measurement.
    - “time to flaming (s): 43.2”
      
      FLAMITS record 827.
    - “ignition frequency (%): 50”
      
      FLAMITS record 920.
  - Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement.
    - “maximum sample temperature (°C): 205”
      
      FLAMITS record 858.
    - “heat released per mass (°C s/g): 1425”
      
      FLAMITS record 951.
  - “flaming duration (s): 24.4”
    
    FLAMITS record 889; Sustainability measurement.
- Primary study Cui2020a: Cui, X., Paterson, A. M., Wyse, S. V., Alam, M. A., Maurin, K. J. L., Pieper, R., ... Curran, T. J. (2020a). Shoot flammability of vascular plants is phylogenetically conserved and related to habitat fire-proneness and growth form. Nature Plants, 6, 355-359.
  
  Shared row context: plant part branches; fuel all; predrying yes; device grill; site Cui2020a-1; sampling ND.
  - “ignition frequency (%): 87.5”
    
    FLAMITS record 1487; Ignitability measurement.
  - “maximum sample temperature (°C): 482.4”
    
    FLAMITS record 1681; Combustibility measurement.
  - “burning duration (s): 20”
    
    FLAMITS record 1875; Sustainability measurement.
  - “estimated burnt biomass (%): 13.8”
    
    FLAMITS record 2069; Consumability measurement.
- “time to flaming (s): 35.86”
  
  FLAMITS record 5438; Ignitability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device scale wind tunnel; site Jolly2010-1; sampling ND. Primary study Jolly2010: Jolly, M., McAllister, S., Finney, M., & Hadlow, A. (2010). Time to ignition is influenced by both moisture content and soluble carbohydrates in live Douglas fir and Lodgepole pine needles. VI International Conference on Forest Fire Research, Coimbra, Portugal.
- Primary study Kelsey1979: Kelsey, R. G., Shafizadeh, F., & Lowery, D. P. (1979). Heat content of bark, twigs, and foliage of nine species of western conifers. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Research Paper INT-261. Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Ogden, Utah.
  
  Shared row context: Combustibility measurement; fuel all; predrying yes; device calorimeter; site Kelsey1979-1; sampling ND.
  - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 6026.08”
    
    FLAMITS record 5676; plant part bark.
  - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 5063.53”
    
    FLAMITS record 5677; plant part twigs.
  - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 5147.12”
    
    FLAMITS record 5678; plant part leaves.
- Primary study McAllister2017: McAllister, S., & Weise, D. (2017). Effects of season on ignition of live wildland fuels using the forced ignition and flame spread test apparatus. Combustion Science and Technology, 189, 231-247.
  
  Shared row context: Ignitability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device scale wind tunnel; site McAllister2017-4.
  - Shared measurement context: sampling may.
    - “time to flaming (s): 18.65”
      
      FLAMITS record 9126.
    - “time to flaming (s): 0”
      
      FLAMITS record 9136.
    - “time to flaming (s): 32.01”
      
      FLAMITS record 9137.
  - Shared measurement context: sampling june.
    - “time to flaming (s): 22.62”
      
      FLAMITS record 9127.
    - “time to flaming (s): 28.71”
      
      FLAMITS record 9138.
  - Shared measurement context: sampling july.
    - “time to flaming (s): 22.72”
      
      FLAMITS record 9128.
    - “time to flaming (s): 13.49”
      
      FLAMITS record 9139.
  - “time to flaming (s): 23.53”
    
    FLAMITS record 9129; sampling august.
  - “time to flaming (s): 25.57”
    
    FLAMITS record 9130; sampling september.
  - “time to flaming (s): 27.18”
    
    FLAMITS record 9131; sampling october.
  - “time to flaming (s): 31.08”
    
    FLAMITS record 9132; sampling november.
  - “time to flaming (s): 28.46”
    
    FLAMITS record 9133; sampling december.
  - “time to flaming (s): 28.25”
    
    FLAMITS record 9134; sampling march.
  - “time to flaming (s): 30.21”
    
    FLAMITS record 9135; sampling april.
- Primary study Shafizadeh1977: Shafizadeh, F., Chin, P. P., & DeGroot, W. F. (1977). Effective heat content of green forest fuels. Forest Science, 23, 81-89.
  
  Shared row context: Combustibility measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying yes; device thermal analyzer; site Shafizadeh1977-1; sampling ND.
  - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 3071”
    
    FLAMITS record 12403.
  - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 7656”
    
    FLAMITS record 12404.
  - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 358.04”
    
    FLAMITS record 12405.
  - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 470.22”
    
    FLAMITS record 12406.
  - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 707.13”
    
    FLAMITS record 12407.
  - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 947.01”
    
    FLAMITS record 12408.
  - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 533.09”
    
    FLAMITS record 12409.
  - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 185.63”
    
    FLAMITS record 12410.
  - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 2399”
    
    FLAMITS record 12411.
  - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 233.04”
    
    FLAMITS record 12412.
  - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 331.61”
    
    FLAMITS record 12413.
  - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 543.65”
    
    FLAMITS record 12414.
  - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 750.17”
    
    FLAMITS record 12415.
  - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 380.46”
    
    FLAMITS record 12416.
  - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 146.59”
    
    FLAMITS record 12417.
  - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 2372”
    
    FLAMITS record 12418.
  - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 8609”
    
    FLAMITS record 12419.
  - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 179.01”
    
    FLAMITS record 12420.
  - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 440.92”
    
    FLAMITS record 12421.
  - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 650.21”
    
    FLAMITS record 12422.
  - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 344.38”
    
    FLAMITS record 12423.
  - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 136.62”
    
    FLAMITS record 12424.
- Primary study vanWagtendonk1998: Van Wagdendonk, J., Sydoriak, W. M., & Benedict, J. M. (1998). Heat content variation of Sierra Nevada conifers. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 8, 147-158.
  
  Shared row context: Combustibility measurement; fuel live; predrying yes; device calorimeter; site vanWagtendonk1998-1; sampling ND.
  - Shared measurement context: plant part leaves.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 1652.81”
      
      FLAMITS record 13463.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 5073.09”
      
      FLAMITS record 13465.
  - Shared measurement context: plant part litter.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 1380.53”
      
      FLAMITS record 13464.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 4893.95”
      
      FLAMITS record 13466.
  - Shared measurement context: plant part wood.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 4910.67”
      
      FLAMITS record 13539.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 4724.37”
      
      FLAMITS record 13540.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 5053.98”
      
      FLAMITS record 13541.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 4784.08”
      
      FLAMITS record 13542.
- Primary study Varner2017: Varner, J. M., Kuljian, H. G., & Kreye, J. K. (2017). Fires without tanoak: the effects of a non-native disease on future community flammability. Biological Invasions, 19, 2307-2317.
  
  Shared row context: plant part litter; fuel all; predrying yes; device burning bench; site Varner2017-1; sampling ND.
  - Shared measurement context: Sustainability measurement.
    - “flaming duration (s): 124”
      
      FLAMITS record 13564.
    - “smouldering duration (s): 321.3”
      
      FLAMITS record 13574.
  - “flame height (cm): 16.6”
    
    FLAMITS record 13569; Combustibility measurement.
  - “burnt biomass (%): 29”
    
    FLAMITS record 13579; Consumability measurement.
- Primary study White2002: White, R. H., Weise, D. R., Mackes, K., & Dibble, A. C. (2002). Cone calorimeter testing of vegetation--an update. Ninth International Conference on Electrical and Electronic Products. Columbus, Ohio, USA.
  
  Shared row context: Combustibility measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; device calorimeter; site White2002-2; sampling ND.
  - “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 188”
    
    FLAMITS record 14134; predrying no.
  - Shared measurement context: predrying yes.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 4275.34”
      
      FLAMITS record 14187.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 4466.42”
      
      FLAMITS record 14276.
- Primary study Williamson2002: Williamson, N .M., & Agee, J. K. (2002). Heat content variation of interior Pacific Northwest conifer foliage. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 11, 91-94.
  
  Shared row context: Combustibility measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying yes; device calorimeter; sampling summer.
  - Shared measurement context: site Williamson2002-1.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 5030.09”
      
      FLAMITS record 14291.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 4781.69”
      
      FLAMITS record 14306.
  - Shared measurement context: site Williamson2002-2.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 5166.23”
      
      FLAMITS record 14294.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 4920.22”
      
      FLAMITS record 14309.
  - Shared measurement context: site Williamson2002-3.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 5106.52”
      
      FLAMITS record 14297.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 4843.79”
      
      FLAMITS record 14312.
  - Shared measurement context: site Williamson2002-4.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 5049.2”
      
      FLAMITS record 14300.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 5027.7”
      
      FLAMITS record 14315.
  - Shared measurement context: site Williamson2002-5.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 5225.94”
      
      FLAMITS record 14303.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 4963.21”
      
      FLAMITS record 14318.
- Primary study Fazeli2022: Fazeli, H., Jolly, W. M., & Blunck, D. L. (2022). Stages and time-scales of ignition and burning of live fuels for different convective heat fluxes. Fuel, 324, 124490.
  
  Shared row context: Ignitability measurement; plant part leaves; predrying no; device flat flame burner; site Fazeli2022-1; sampling september to february.
  - Shared measurement context: fuel live.
    - “time to flaming (s): 2.7”
      
      FLAMITS record 16472.
    - “time to flaming (s): 7.9”
      
      FLAMITS record 16473.
  - Shared measurement context: fuel dead.
    - “time to flaming (s): 0.5”
      
      FLAMITS record 16474.
    - “time to flaming (s): 1.9”
      
      FLAMITS record 16475.
- Primary study McAllister2012: McAllister, S., Grenfell, I., Hadlow, A., Jolly, W. M., Finney, M., & Cohen, J. (2012). Piloted ignition of live forest fuels. Fire Safety Journal, 51, 133142.
  
  Shared row context: Ignitability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; device scale wind tunnel; site McAllister2012-1; sampling march to october.
  - Shared measurement context: predrying no.
    - “time to flaming (s): 41.33”
      
      FLAMITS record 17416.
    - “time to flaming (s): 38.15”
      
      FLAMITS record 17417.
    - “time to flaming (s): 40.15”
      
      FLAMITS record 17418.
    - “time to flaming (s): 35.87”
      
      FLAMITS record 17419.
    - “time to flaming (s): 35.68”
      
      FLAMITS record 17420.
    - “time to flaming (s): 33.6”
      
      FLAMITS record 17421.
    - “time to flaming (s): 36.79”
      
      FLAMITS record 17422.
    - “time to flaming (s): 34.11”
      
      FLAMITS record 17423.
    - “time to flaming (s): 34.62”
      
      FLAMITS record 17424.
    - “time to flaming (s): 33.53”
      
      FLAMITS record 17425.
    - “time to flaming (s): 31.74”
      
      FLAMITS record 17426.
    - “time to flaming (s): 32.35”
      
      FLAMITS record 17427.
    - “time to flaming (s): 33.96”
      
      FLAMITS record 17428.
    - “time to flaming (s): 34.36”
      
      FLAMITS record 17429.
    - “time to flaming (s): 27.29”
      
      FLAMITS record 17430.
    - “time to flaming (s): 37.37”
      
      FLAMITS record 17431.
    - “time to flaming (s): 35.18”
      
      FLAMITS record 17432.
    - “time to flaming (s): 37.48”
      
      FLAMITS record 17433.
    - “time to flaming (s): 37.59”
      
      FLAMITS record 17434.
    - “time to flaming (s): 38.1”
      
      FLAMITS record 17435.
    - “time to flaming (s): 41.1”
      
      FLAMITS record 17436.
    - “time to flaming (s): 42.2”
      
      FLAMITS record 17437.
    - “time to flaming (s): 39.62”
      
      FLAMITS record 17438.
    - “time to flaming (s): 36.44”
      
      FLAMITS record 17439.
    - “time to flaming (s): 40.13”
      
      FLAMITS record 17440.
    - “time to flaming (s): 42.14”
      
      FLAMITS record 17441.
    - “time to flaming (s): 33.78”
      
      FLAMITS record 17442.
  - Shared measurement context: predrying yes.
    - “time to flaming (s): 6.94”
      
      FLAMITS record 17443.
    - “time to flaming (s): 6.55”
      
      FLAMITS record 17444.
    - “time to flaming (s): 7.86”
      
      FLAMITS record 17445.
    - “time to flaming (s): 8.76”
      
      FLAMITS record 17446.
    - “time to flaming (s): 11.46”
      
      FLAMITS record 17447.
    - “time to flaming (s): 8.78”
      
      FLAMITS record 17448.
    - “time to flaming (s): 10.28”
      
      FLAMITS record 17449.
    - “time to flaming (s): 9.79”
      
      FLAMITS record 17450.
    - “time to flaming (s): 9.9”
      
      FLAMITS record 17451.
    - “time to flaming (s): 10.41”
      
      FLAMITS record 17452.
    - “time to flaming (s): 9.62”
      
      FLAMITS record 17453.
    - “time to flaming (s): 8.53”
      
      FLAMITS record 17454.
    - “time to flaming (s): 8.94”
      
      FLAMITS record 17455.
    - “time to flaming (s): 6.96”
      
      FLAMITS record 17456.
    - “time to flaming (s): 7.16”
      
      FLAMITS record 17457.
    - “time to flaming (s): 8.56”
      
      FLAMITS record 17458.
    - “time to flaming (s): 8.37”
      
      FLAMITS record 17459.
    - “time to flaming (s): 7.48”
      
      FLAMITS record 17460.
    - “time to flaming (s): 8.79”
      
      FLAMITS record 17461.
    - “time to flaming (s): 7.8”
      
      FLAMITS record 17462.
    - “time to flaming (s): 10.4”
      
      FLAMITS record 17463.
    - “time to flaming (s): 8.91”
      
      FLAMITS record 17464.
    - “time to flaming (s): 10.42”
      
      FLAMITS record 17465.
    - “time to flaming (s): 8.43”
      
      FLAMITS record 17466.
    - “time to flaming (s): 9.14”
      
      FLAMITS record 17467.
    - “time to flaming (s): 8.16”
      
      FLAMITS record 17468.
    - “time to flaming (s): 9.16”
      
      FLAMITS record 17469.
- Primary study McAllister2014: McAllister S., & Finney, M. (2014). Convection Ignition of Live Forest Fuels. Fire Safety Science - Proceedings of the eleventh International Symposium 11th conference. Christchurch, New Zealand.
  
  Shared row context: Ignitability measurement; predrying no; device burning bench; site McAllister2014-1; sampling ND.
  - “time to flaming (s): 27.05”
    
    FLAMITS record 17470; plant part stems; fuel live.
  - Shared measurement context: plant part litter; fuel all.
    - “time to flaming (s): 5.55”
      
      FLAMITS record 17471.
    - “time to flaming (s): 1.95”
      
      FLAMITS record 17472.
  - Shared measurement context: plant part leaves; fuel live.
    - “time to flaming (s): 14.8”
      
      FLAMITS record 17475.
    - “time to flaming (s): 10.7”
      
      FLAMITS record 17476.
- Primary study Gross1962: Gross, D. (1962). Experiments on the burning of cross piles of wood. Journal of Research, 66c, 99-105.
  
  Shared row context: Combustibility measurement; plant part wood; fuel live; predrying yes; device burning bench; site Gross1962-1; sampling ND.
  - “flame height (cm): 5”
    
    FLAMITS record 17892.
  - “flame height (cm): 3”
    
    FLAMITS record 17893.
  - “flame height (cm): 5”
    
    FLAMITS record 17894.
  - “flame height (cm): 44”
    
    FLAMITS record 17895.
  - “flame height (cm): 24”
    
    FLAMITS record 17896.
  - “flame height (cm): 12”
    
    FLAMITS record 17897.
  - “flame height (cm): 76”
    
    FLAMITS record 17898.
  - “flame height (cm): 65”
    
    FLAMITS record 17899.
  - “flame height (cm): 36”
    
    FLAMITS record 17900.
  - “flame height (cm): 77”
    
    FLAMITS record 17901.
  - “flame height (cm): 165”
    
    FLAMITS record 17902.
  - “flame height (cm): 64”
    
    FLAMITS record 17903.
  - “flame height (cm): 140”
    
    FLAMITS record 17904.
  - “flame height (cm): 460”
    
    FLAMITS record 17905.
  - “flame height (cm): 365”
    
    FLAMITS record 17906.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.02”
    
    FLAMITS record 17907.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.003”
    
    FLAMITS record 17908.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.002”
    
    FLAMITS record 17909.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.128”
    
    FLAMITS record 17910.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.07”
    
    FLAMITS record 17911.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.48”
    
    FLAMITS record 17912.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.443”
    
    FLAMITS record 17913.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.333”
    
    FLAMITS record 17914.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.15”
    
    FLAMITS record 17915.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 1.24”
    
    FLAMITS record 17916.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 1.98”
    
    FLAMITS record 17917.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.83”
    
    FLAMITS record 17918.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.98”
    
    FLAMITS record 17919.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 1.34”
    
    FLAMITS record 17920.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 1.69”
    
    FLAMITS record 17921.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 1.56”
    
    FLAMITS record 17922.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 1.34”
    
    FLAMITS record 17923.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 2.38”
    
    FLAMITS record 17924.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 1.7”
    
    FLAMITS record 17925.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 1.97”
    
    FLAMITS record 17926.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 3.4”
    
    FLAMITS record 17927.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 1.9”
    
    FLAMITS record 17928.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 3.58”
    
    FLAMITS record 17929.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 5.58”
    
    FLAMITS record 17930.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 4.23”
    
    FLAMITS record 17931.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 10.3”
    
    FLAMITS record 17932.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 9.88”
    
    FLAMITS record 17933.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 57.5”
    
    FLAMITS record 17934.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 55.7”
    
    FLAMITS record 17935.
  - “energy flux (kW/m²): 0.0105”
    
    FLAMITS record 17936.
  - “energy flux (kW/m²): 0.0485”
    
    FLAMITS record 17937.
  - “energy flux (kW/m²): 0.0239”
    
    FLAMITS record 17938.
  - “energy flux (kW/m²): 0.0723”
    
    FLAMITS record 17939.
  - “energy flux (kW/m²): 0.0513”
    
    FLAMITS record 17940.
  - “energy flux (kW/m²): 0.0119”
    
    FLAMITS record 17941.
  - “energy flux (kW/m²): 0.0329”
    
    FLAMITS record 17942.
  - “energy flux (kW/m²): 0.00167”
    
    FLAMITS record 17943.
  - “energy flux (kW/m²): 0.0022”
    
    FLAMITS record 17944.
  - “energy flux (kW/m²): 0.0097”
    
    FLAMITS record 17945.
  - “energy flux (kW/m²): 0.00787”
    
    FLAMITS record 17946.
- Primary study Susott1980: Susott R. A. (1980). Thermal behavior of conifer needle extractives. Forest Science, 26, 347-360
  
  Shared row context: Combustibility measurement; plant part leaves; predrying no; device burning bench; site Susott1980-1; sampling winter.
  - Shared measurement context: fuel dead.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 5242.667439”
      
      FLAMITS record 17977.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 850.2913933”
      
      FLAMITS record 17983.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 3353.396394”
      
      FLAMITS record 17989.
  - Shared measurement context: fuel live.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 5132.798327”
      
      FLAMITS record 17980.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 952.995129”
      
      FLAMITS record 17986.
    - “calorific value (kcal/kg): 3155.154299”
      
      FLAMITS record 17992.
- Primary study Pickett2010: Pickett, B. M., Isackson, C., Wunder, R., Fletcher, T. H., Butler, B. W., & Weise, D. R. (2010). Experimental measurements during combustion of moist individual foliage samples. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 19, 153-162 .
  
  Shared row context: Combustibility measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying no; device flat flame burner; site Pickett2010-2; sampling ND.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.0926”
    
    FLAMITS record 18250.
  - “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.0609”
    
    FLAMITS record 18251.
- “calorific value (kcal/kg): 12.2”
  
  FLAMITS record 19954; Combustibility measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device thermal analyzer; site Leventon2023-2; sampling may and july 2017. Primary study Leventon2023: Leventon, I. T., Yang, J., & Bruns, M. C. (2023). Thermal decomposition of vegetative fuels and the impact of measured variations on simulations of wildfire spread. Fire Safety Journal, 137, 103762.

Fire-resistant trees instead

boxelder
Acer negundo

honeylocust
Gleditsia triacanthos

smooth sumac
Rhus glabra

quaking aspen
Populus tremuloides

Lombardy poplar
Populus nigra 'Italica'

common hackberry
Celtis occidentalis

Fire-resistant trees listed above

Guides that discuss this plant

Last verified 2026-08-23. JSON (CC BY 4.0)

Profiles: USDA PLANTS · GBIF · iNaturalist · Wikidata · Wikipedia · ITIS

Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas fir). FireApproved. https://fireapproved.com/plants/pseudotsuga-menziesii/. Last verified 2026-08-23.

1. Fire evidence and conditions

2. Why this plant is relevant here

3. Legal, ecological, and broader status

Native and introduced range evidence

13

1

0

Plant hardiness evidence

Conditions in the fire evidence

Where its sources say to plant it

The evidence

Recommends (1)

Avoids (7)

Mid-scale / conditional (1)

Related plants

Fire-resistant trees instead

Guides that discuss this plant