Restoration Takes Root

It’s been nearly five years since 25,000 acres burned across the northern slopes of Mount Shasta. And what’s there to see beyond the burn scar of charred soil and dead trees? How about extraordinary new life taking root across this Northern California landscape.

In April 2026, the Shasta-Trinity National Forest completed 1,091 acres of tree planting on the Mount Shasta Ranger District as part of the Lava Fire Restoration Project. More than 279,000 ponderosa pine seedlings were planted this year to counter the devastation of the intense fire that swept through this beloved landscape.

The Lava Fire ignited in June 2021. And portions of the burn area left large swathes without enough surviving trees to naturally regenerate. So, Forest Service seed banks got to work, forming a plan to accelerate recovery, stabilize the landscape, and restore healthy forest conditions for future generations.