Wildfire-driven deforestation rates in California are now among the highest in the world, according to new research highlighted by Phys.org.
California’s wildfire crisis has become so severe that Governor Gavin Newsom waived portions of the California Environmental Quality Act, commonly known as CEQA, in 2025 to accelerate vegetation management projects, mirroring efforts pursued by the Trump administration to speed up active forest management on federal lands.
Researchers found California lost between 6% and 11% of its conifer forests between 1991 and 2023. The pace of forest loss accelerated sharply after 2000 and surged again following the catastrophic fire years of 2020 and 2021. The study found annual deforestation rates climbed as high as 0.47% per year during some periods. That exceeds the global average and places California alongside some of the world’s most heavily fire-impacted regions.
Researchers found California lost between 6% and 11% of its conifer forests between 1991 and 2023. The pace of forest loss accelerated sharply after 2000 and surged again following the catastrophic fire years of 2020 and 2021. The study found annual deforestation rates climbed as high as 0.47% per year during some periods. That exceeds the global average and places California alongside some of the world’s most heavily fire-impacted regions.
Researchers also warned that reforestation efforts are struggling to keep pace with the scale of wildfire damage. Large areas of burned forest are failing to regenerate naturally after severe fire. That raises concerns about permanent forest conversion – turning forests into non-forests – in parts of the state if current trends continue.
California officials are increasingly responding with more aggressive forest management and wildfire mitigation efforts. According to Fire and Safety Journal Americas and recent state announcements, hundreds of wildfire safety projects have been fast tracked under emergency authorities aimed at reducing delays for fuels reduction and forest health work.
State officials say some projects that once took years for approval are now moving forward in as little as 30 days. Many of those projects focus on thinning overgrown forests, reducing hazardous fuels, expanding prescribed fire, and improving community protection.
California’s experience shows what happens when forests become overloaded with fuels. Severe wildfire is reshaping landscapes faster than forests can recover. State leaders are increasingly recognizing that active forest management must play a larger role in reducing wildfire risk and protecting forests, communities, and public lands – and in some cases, even in California, they are recognizing the need to “cut red tape” to expedite getting work done on the ground.
