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Burned Tree Removal in Placerville

Got a scorched tree after a fire near Placerville? Call (530) 316-5144. A tree removal company in Placerville that knows burned trees can come look and tell you which trees are worth saving. Burned tree removal in Placerville starts with that look.

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Fire and burned tree removal in Placerville

The hills around Placerville have burned more than once in recent years. Three fires stand out.

• The King Fire started near Pollock Pines on September 13, 2014. It burned 97,717 acres before it was contained on October 9.
• The Caldor Fire started south of Pollock Pines on August 14, 2021. It burned 221,835 acres and destroyed 1,005 structures.
• The Mosquito Fire started on September 6, 2022. It burned 76,788 acres in Placer and El Dorado counties, and people in Georgetown were told to leave.

Not every burned tree comes from a giant fire, though. A burn pile gets loose. A shed catches. Embers land in a yard and torch one pine. The questions are the same either way.

Will a burned tree in Placerville live? What to check

Here's the good news. A black trunk doesn't always mean a dead tree. UC ANR, the University of California farm and forest folks, says the cambium decides a lot. That's the thin, live layer just under the bark.

For pines, cedars and firs:

• Look at the green. UC ANR says how much of the live crown got hurt is one of the most important clues for conifers. The live crown is every branch with green needles.
• Ponderosa pines can fool you. Their buds hold up to fire better, so the university guide says you may need to wait until spring to see new growth.
• Check the base. Pitch flowing hard from the trunk means the tree is fighting back. Dry boring dust with no pitch, the university guide says, means the tissue under the bark is dead.

For oaks:

• UC ANR says leaf damage matters less for oaks than damage to the trunk. An oak that lost every leaf can come back if the cambium is still alive.
• Bark cracked or pulled away from the wood? The cambium under it is almost certainly dead, they say.
• Even a small strip of live cambium helps. The university guide says if as little as 10% of the way around stays alive, the tree will likely survive.
• Live cambium looks white or pink. Dead cambium looks dark or yellowish.

Photo spot: a blackened oak trunk with new green sprouts at the base, plain drawing

Cut it or wait?

UC ANR gives a simple set of rules for oaks. Cut it if:

• It's under 6 inches across and scorched all the way around the base.
• It's 6 to 12 inches across with charring all the way around and thinner bark.
• It's over 12 inches across with charring all around, much thinner bark and bare wood showing here and there.
• It has wounds on 50% or more of the trunk and could fall on people or buildings.

Leave it if it lost its leaves but the trunk is mostly fine. Or if only spots around the base got scorched and at least 10% of the cambium is alive.

For big, valuable trees that might make it, UC ANR suggests waiting at least one growing season. Three is better, they say. Waiting works for a tree out in the field. A tree leaning over the bedroom is another story.

Here's the rule we'd use. If it can hit something you care about, get a pro to look now. If it can't, give it a spring.

The oak permit after a fire

Out in the county, this one's simple. The county oak chapter lists trees that fell or got damaged by fires or other natural disasters as exempt from its permit rules. The county still suggests owners keep a record of what they take out, so snap photos before and after.

Inside Placerville city limits, the city's tree rules still apply. Our permit page covers both sides.

What the work involves

Burned trees are tricky. Fire can hollow out the base or kill the roots while the top still looks fine. So a careful pro checks the trunk and the ground around it before anyone climbs.

After that, the job looks a lot like any other removal:

• Sections come down from the top if the tree is near a building.
• A crane or bucket truck comes in if climbing isn't safe.
• Charred limbs get chipped or hauled.
• The stump gets ground, or left if it's well away from the house.

Burned wood gets dirty. Soot gets on everything. Ask the pro how they plan to keep the mess off your deck and driveway.

What burned tree removal costs in Placerville

Fire damage doesn't change the national price guides much. What changes the price is how risky the tree is to bring down. These ranges are national:

Where these came from: LawnStarter's 2026 price pages (updated Oct 5), Fixr's removal guide for the diseased and crane lines, This Old House for the emergency line.

This Old House says emergency removal can run up to $5,000. It also says homeowners insurance may help when a covered event, like a windstorm, drops the tree. Call your insurance company before work starts and ask what they want to see.

LawnStarter puts the national average at $630 a tree. A tree standing on a burned, loose slope will cost more than that. Ask for the price in writing.

Why call us first for burned tree removal in Placerville

• You've got enough on your plate after a fire. We do the phone calls.
• We find a pro who works around Placerville and knows burned ground.
• We pass along your photos so the first visit counts.
• It's free for you.
• Want another opinion on a tree you'd like to save? Ask, and we'll try.

Step by step: tree removal in Placerville

1. Stay off burned slopes until they're safe. Take photos from the road or the driveway.
2. Call (530) 316-5144. Tell us which trees could hit the house, the road or a line.
3. A nearby pro gets booked for a look.
4. The pro checks trunks, roots and crowns, and gives you a written price.
5. You decide what goes now and what waits for spring.
6. The work gets done, and the burned wood gets chipped or hauled.

Back to tree removal in Placerville. Fire country? See tree removal in Georgetown and tree removal in Pollock Pines.