Hazardous Tree Removal
Barnes Fire
Publication Type: News
09/15/2022
What is hazardous tree Removal? Snags (dead, standing trees without leaves or needles in the crowns) and other hazard trees present a significant hazard to wildland firefighters. Snags typically have much lower fuel moistures than live, green trees; they are subject to rot and they burn more readily. In the process, they often throw firebrands far in advance of the main fire and often burn through more quickly than green trees, falling with little or no warning. Live, green trees that have been weakened by insects, disease, weather, past fires, and age present equal hazard and can fall without warning. These trees also have significant structural defects that are likely to lead to failure; increasing the potential to fall or break and causing property damage, injuries, and power outages. These trees may be leaning, or have suffered fire damage that exacerbated existing decay, weakness or any number of other structural problems. Fall and winter windstorms will often bring hazardous trees down abruptly. Some trees are killed immediately by fire but others die up to several years later. Fire-injured trees are more susceptible to other stressors, such as beetle attack and drought. To mitigate this current risk (firefighters working to put the fire out) as well as the future risk as the roads are opened and public returning to the fire area, these trees are felled. Specialized Falling teams can also come in to assist the hand crews with hazard trees. Only trees that threaten firefighter or public safety are removed. The work consists of removing debris from the roadway as well as removing weakened trees that may fall onto the roadway.
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