here in the americn west

Lack of rain and the worst fire seasons are being experienced.

My usual july yamadori dig was cancelled because end of june permits were stopped being issued becuse of extreme fire danger in the mountains.

so thinking ahead to next year, if I can manage to get my permits in june, what affect will this drought have on the survivability of yamadori trees dug 2015, who have gone thru this stresss this year. More losses?

hopefully they respond with gratitude and growth for the TLC they will be receiving after such a harsh existence
(i know it doesnt really work like it would with dogs and children, but maybe...   )

It is hard to say, good yamadori will have survived for decades or more, possibly a century, and if they are still alive in 2015, when you go to collect, they may have been in a 'protected pocket' with better moisture availability than the surrounding area. It is quite likely some areas where you used to collect the pickings will be thinner, less to choose from. But you won't know until you get there.

If a tree is suffering drought stress, it will likely show, so you will have a clue what you are up against when you collect. The first year or two of establishing the newly collected trees will likely be the same - in that the health of a newly collected tree is always fragile. So it shouldn't be a big change from other years. One good thing about establishing a drought stressed tree, you are able to water it.

Hopefully your drought will end before winter, and your area will green up.

Thought, if your collection location is nearby enough for regular visits, identify a few you want and bring in water to them. If you did this once or twice a month, you could get a select tree through the drought. This is a ridiculous thought if the select tree is more than a few hundred feet away from where you park the car, but if something is near the road, no reason you couldn't water it if you know which one(s) you want. But it would be stupid to hike in a couple miles packing in water.