Is my tree at risk of falling? Use these tips as Northern California storms continue
Published January 2023:
Fallen trees are one of several fatal results Northern California’s winter rain storms have left behind.
As California braces for more wind, rain and snow, The Bee consulted Scott Shaw, owner of Fair Oaks Arborist, a family-owned tree company, on what a tree at risk of falling looks like and preventive measures you can take right now to help your tree stay in place. The tricky part is fallen trees are typically unexpected and sudden.
At least two unhoused residents died over the weekend when trees fell on top of their tents. A mixture of heavy rainfall and wind toppled a redwood tree into a Sonoma County home Jan. 4, killing a baby inside.
A tree fell on top of a man, 72, and killed him on Dec. 31 at Lighthouse Field State Beach in Santa Cruz.
During a January phone interview with The Bee, Shaw said he’s still cleaning up trees from the New Year’s Eve “atmospheric river” storm. He received an additional five calls from the Jan. 4 storm.
“We’ll probably see residual effects from the few storms for the next few months.”
What does a tree at risk of falling look like?
It’s hard to tell if an otherwise healthy tree is going to uproot because you can’t see its root system underground.
“The only way to really be able to tell if a tree is getting ready to uproot,” Shaw said “would be you’ll see soil separation — you’ll actually see cracks in the soil.”
During soil separation, the entire root system is shifting and making its way to the surface.
The tree will also begin to bulge around where the trunk of the tree meets its roots. When this happens, the entire ground around the tree will feel like a diving board.
Shaw has pulled at least six “perfectly healthy” trees off of both homes and cars within the Sacramento region from the New Year’s Eve storm. He said they’ve either been too big for their spot or the rain and wind was too much for its root system.
Am I responsible for fallen tree damages to my property?
The rules surrounding who’s responsible for clean up and damages when a tree falls on your car or home can get tricky.
In Sacramento, for example, fallen trees that land on private streets or property are the owner’s concern. Both the city of Sacramento and Sacramento County encourage their residents to call a private tree service for clean up.
Removing a tree could cost thousands of dollars. Bigger trees typically cost more to remove.
It depends whether or not your home or auto insurance will cover damage created by a fallen tree, even if the damage was caused by severe weather conditions.
How do I prevent my tree from falling?
While it’s a little too late to take extensive preventive measures with your trees because Northern California is expecting more rain into next week, you can at least make sure your tree has enough room to branch out.
If your tree looks too heavy or is in need of a trim, do so. If you can’t do it safely, call an arborist.
During the fall season while leaves on your trees are dropping and it becomes dormant, Shaw said homeowners should “lighten the load” of their trees and prune it.
Expect more trees to fall in Northern California
Wednesday is forecast to bring another round of heavy rainfall and wind gusts as high as 34 mph.
With the back-to-back rain storms, the soil is not getting a proper chance to dry out. Shaw said he predicts “trees are going to continue to come down.”
When water goes into the soil, all of its air pockets are drenched and in return, the trees’ root system suffers. Shaw said trees need the moisture to leave through the soil so more air can come back in and the roots can breathe again.
Northern California needs a dry spell.
This story was originally published January 6, 2023 at 11:05 AM with the headline "Is my tree at risk of falling? Use these tips as Northern California storms continue."