Early postfire response of a northern range margin coast redwood forest community

•Classified postfire response of four redwood community species with 80–88% accuracy.•Response of each species was variable, resulting in complex postfire trajectories.•Coast redwood basal sprouting was positively correlated with burn severity.•Sprouting species have initial advantage in early recovery in postfire environments.•High severity fire resulted in greatest change, but stand replacement was absent.