This is intended to provide preliminary information on trees and urban forest considerations during the fire recovery. This includes resources for those with properties that were impacted by the fires and those who are in high fire severity zones and are considering how to prepare for future fires. This is not meant to be exhaustive and will continue to be updated as more information and recommendations become available. Please refer HERE for City resources and official information for residents in the affected areas.
- Q: Can trees recover from fire damage and how long does it take?
A: Yes, trees are very resilient and can recover from fire damage. However, it may take months (or sometimes up to two years) for signs of recovery to be clearly visible. Some trees will have been too badly damaged to recover, but many that look damaged now can make a full comeback. It is important to have a qualified professional inspect your trees to determine whether they will recover (so should be retained), might recover (so should be retained and monitored), or will not recover (so can be removed). See below for further information on finding a qualified professional.
- Q: There are white spray paint markings on the trees on my property, what do they mean?
A: The white spray paint markings on trees was done by the EPA, during the evaluation of hazardous materials phase. These markings were done for situational awareness of personnel during hazardous debris removal activities. Additional inspections are needed to determine tree pruning or tree removal needs.
- Q: I am opting into the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Phase 2 debris removal program for private residential properties. Will my trees be inspected and removed as part of this program?
A: Yes. If you opt into the USACE program by filling out a Rights of Entry (ROE) form, trees on your property will be inspected by TRAQ ISA Certified Arborists contracted by USACE. Trees will be inspected based on the criteria below to determine if they are hazardous, and therefore eligible for removal as part of the program. Trees deemed hazardous based on this criteria will be tagged and then removed. The ash footprint of a building refers to the same area as its foundation.
- Q: How can I provide USACE with information about trees on my property?
A: You should include trees in your property sketch as part of your Rights of Entry (ROE) form, included at the end of both the PDF and online versions of the ROE form. Per the ROE form, the property sketch should include “any items you would like to exclude from debris removal” - so this is where you can communicate to USACE if you have specific trees that you want preserved.
- Q: I am opting out of the USACE Phase 2 Debris removal program. Who should I hire to inspect trees on my private property?
A:
Who should I hire to inspect trees on my private property?
You should consider hiring an ISA Certified Arborist to evaluate the health of your trees. You can find an ISA Certified Arborist at: www.treesaregood.org/findanarborist. Consider hiring an Arborist that also is Tree Risk Assessor Qualified (TRAQ).
During debris removal activities, establish a Tree Protection Zone (TPZ) around the trees to be preserved and instruct your debris removal and construction crews not to harm or remove these trees.- Once inspected, should I immediately remove all trees and prune all branches tagged as hazardous or damaged?
It depends. If people, structures, or equipment will be present within the vicinity of trees or branches identified as a high hazard you should consider removing them immediately. However, the longer you are able to give your trees before removing them, the more clear their likelihood of recovery will be. It is important to understand that the hazardousness of a tree is determined based on its likelihood of failure AND the potential targets (ex: humans, structures, and vehicles) that a tree or branch might impact.
- Q: Once inspected, should I immediately remove all trees and prune all branches tagged as hazardous or damaged?
A: It depends. If people, structures, or equipment will be present within the vicinity of trees or branches identified as a high hazard you should consider removing them immediately. However, the longer you are able to give your trees before removing them, the more clear their likelihood of recovery will be. It is important to understand that the hazardousness of a tree is determined based on its likelihood of failure AND the potential targets (ex: humans, structures, and vehicles) that a tree or branch might impact.
- Q: I have an ISA Certified Arborist inspecting the trees on my private property, should I have them also inspect the street tree in front of my private property?
A: You can have them inspect the street trees. However, final determination for any street tree removals will be done by the Bureau of Street Services (StreetsLA) Urban Forestry Division (UFD).
- Q: How can I protect trees that I am retaining on my property during debris removal and rebuilding?
A: You should protect trees by creating a Tree Protection Zone (TPZ) around each tree to be preserved in place.
- Create a TPZ using the larger of the following measurements: 5 feet out from the dripline* or 15 feet from the trunk. Clearly mark the TPZ by Installing a temporary fence along the edge.
- Ensure all contractors and workers with access to your property are informed about working outside of the TPZ.
- The following guidelines should be followed within the TPZ:
- No storage of any construction equipment or vehicles.
- No stockpiling of building materials or refuse/waste material.
- No objects of any kind shall be attached to any existing trees including nails, grade stakes, etc.
- No excessive water or heat from equipment or utility line construction.
- No excessive flooding or erosion in or around the tree root system resulting from dewatering, washing, or other operations.
- No disturbance of soil or grade by heavy equipment unless under direction and supervision of the arborist of record and/or BSS/UFD.
- Vehicle and equipment use shall be minimized to the extent possible to prevent soil compaction.
More resources related to protecting trees:
- Q: Should I water the trees on my private property?
A: Yes! Your trees have just experienced a stressful event and watering will help promote recovery.
- Water your trees by applying water slowly and consistently and allow the soil to dry out in between waterings.
- Young trees (less than 3-5 years old) may need 10-15 gallons of water weekly.
- Mature trees should be watered using a soaker hose or hose sprinkler attachment on low to apply water to the area within the tree’s dripline* once the top 6 inches of soil is dry.
- It is especially important to water trees that previously had consistent access to water from irrigation that is currently turned off. These trees have essentially entered a sudden drought.
- Water your trees by applying water slowly and consistently and allow the soil to dry out in between waterings.
- Q: Should I water the street tree in front of my private property?
A: Yes, you can provide water to the street trees in the same way that you do trees on your private property.
- Q: When should I plant trees on my private property?
A: Not yet. Do not plant new trees until after all hazardous waste and debris removal is completed. If your property will require construction work to rebuild, consider when to plant new trees based on their proximity to the work.
- Q: I want to help plant trees in areas impacted by fires. Are there volunteer opportunities?
A: Not at this time.
- Q: I live in a high fire severity zone not directly impacted by the fire. Do I need to remove all trees on my private property to prevent future fires?
A: No. Maintaining healthy trees is important. There are many important factors to consider in protecting your property, many of which are focused on the buildings and structures on your property rather than the trees. There are many resources on how to protect and prepare for fire (see resource section below). Trees provide us with many benefits and it is important to note that in hillside areas, trees and other vegetation play a huge role in stabilizing the hillside and preventing erosion.
