Burnt Forest Biome in 7 Days to Die

ByYurii LuzhkoUpdated October 16, 2026Source: 7 Days to Die V3.3 game files

Difficulty 2 / 5Ember StormGear: Smoke GearTrader Jen

The Burnt Forest biome is the second-easiest of the 5 biomes in 7 Days to Die — difficulty 2 of 5 in the game files — and covers 14% of Navezgane. Its air is a hazard until you wear Smoke Gear (a Black Lung Serum buys time). Its storm is the Ember Storm.

Loot stage+5modifier 0.5
Gamestage+10modifier 0.5
Of Navezgane14%by area
POIs here1442 at 5 skulls

The Burnt Forest on our Navezgane map; other biomes dimmed.Open the map →

Burnt Forest hazard and the Smoke Gear

SmokeThick smoke burns your lungs. A shot of Black Lung Serum, taking shelter, or crafting survival gear will extend your survival time.
SuffocatingYou are suffocating. Seek shelter or fresh air now.

Negates the hazardSmoke Gear

Negates the smoke and ash filled air found throughout the Burnt Forest biome. Does not protect against temperature or storms.

Buys timeBlack Lung Serum

Temporarily reduces biome hazard effects and grants faster movement while in the Burnt Forest.

How to unlock the Smoke Gear

The "Burnt Survival" challenge group: "Research the biome and unlock Smoke Gear." Each step:

1Find or Build ShelterFind or build a shelter in the Burnt Forest.1000 XP
2Harvest MushroomsHarvest some Mushrooms.1000 XP
3Craft Black Lung SerumCraft a Black Lung Serum.1000 XP
4Use Black Lung SerumUse a Black Lung Serum.1000 XP
5Kill Burnt Forest Biome ZombiesKill some Burnt Forest Biome Zombies.1000 XP
6Harvest Nitrate PowderHarvest some Nitrate Powder.1000 XP
7Gather items for Smoke GearGather a few items needed to craft the Smoke Gear.1000 XP

On shelter, the game says: "Find a structure to take shelter. Be mindful of holes, windows, or doors that will prevent a proper shelter status. Shelter is needed to recover from biome hazards or for protection against deadly storms."

The Ember Storm

"You are in a severe Ember Storm! Seek shelter!" — the storm's own warning.

Ember Storm: Stage 1The blowing embers are reducing your Max Stamina by 25 over time. Seek shelter to recover.
Ember Storm: Stage 2The embers are too intense causing you to lose 2 health per second. Reduce the damage by 50% with a Black Lung Serum. Seek shelter to recover.
Ember Storm: RecoveryYou are recovering from the ember storm.

The Smoke Gear text says it "does not protect against temperature or storms".

Burnt Forest weather

How often each weather is picked when the weather changes (biomes.xml probabilities, normalised).

Default83%temp. 75–85
Light rain10%temp. 75–85
Heavy rain7%temp. 75–85

Temperatures are the file’s ranges; it states no unit.

Zombies and animals in the Burnt Forest

From the Burnt Forest's own spawn list

Also out in the open

In towns: 25 zombie types

Spawn rows tagged commercial, industrial or downtown — they fire only on town tiles.

Animals

From spawning.xml: the biome’s spawn rows and the entity groups they name.

Ores, wild plants and loot in the Burnt Forest

Ore in the ground

Coal Ore
Iron Ore
Lead Ore
Potassium Nitrate

Wild plants

The biome places no harvestable wild plants.

Loot scattered as world decoration: Bird Nest, Foul Trash and Trash Pile.

Ore resources from the biome’s terrain layers; plants and loot from its decorations, in biomes.xml.

POIs and the trader in the Burnt Forest

Large dots: the trader and 5-skull POIs. Small: every other POI in the biome.

144 POIs by skull rating

5 skulls2
4 skulls6
3 skulls8
2 skulls26
1 skull21
Unrated81

Trader in the Burnt ForestTrader Jen →Medical and books

The toughest POIs here

Every Navezgane POI, with loot and sleepers →

The other biomes

Burnt Forest biome — FAQ

How do you get the Smoke Gear in 7 Days to Die?

Finish the "Burnt Survival" challenges — Find or Build Shelter; Harvest Mushrooms; Craft Black Lung Serum; Use Black Lung Serum; Kill Burnt Forest Biome Zombies; Harvest Nitrate Powder; Gather items for Smoke Gear. Their reward is the Smoke Gear. The gear "Negates the smoke and ash filled air found throughout the Burnt Forest biome."

What does the Ember Storm do?

Ember Storm: Stage 1: The blowing embers are reducing your Max Stamina by 25 over time. Seek shelter to recover. Ember Storm: Stage 2: The embers are too intense causing you to lose 2 health per second. Reduce the damage by 50% with a Black Lung Serum. Seek shelter to recover.

What spawns in the Burnt Forest?

Out in the open, 22 zombie types, 2 of them from the Burnt Forest's own spawn list; in towns, 25. Animals: Boar, Chicken, Coyote, Dire Wolf, Doe, Rabbit, Snake, Stag, Zombie Dog, Zombie Vulture and Wolf.

Read from the 7 Days to Die V3.3 game files (biomes, spawning, entity groups, buffs, items, challenges, localization, Navezgane world). PinDrop is fan-made and not affiliated with The Fun Pimps.