October 7, 2022 - The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), in coordination with local partners and contracted debris removal crews, continues to make quick work of clearing remnants left in the wake of the 2022 wildfires. This week, in Mariposa County, specialized crews identified hazardous trees following the Oak Fire in July.

A hazard tree damaged by the Oak Fire is tagged with a bar code for removal.

Hazard tree assessment is a critical component of the State’s Consolidated Debris Removal Program. This program allows for local governments and private property owners to receive state assistance in the clearing of potentially harmful debris (including hazard trees) following a disaster at no direct cost to the applicant.

Trees that are deemed hazardous are marked with blue spray paint and wrapped with blue tape.

Following a wildfire, certified arborists and registered professional foresters are tasked with identifying dead and/or damaged trees that pose a threat to the public and public infrastructure.

After a rigorous assessment, trees located within wildfire burn scars are assigned a rating based on their potential for failure. Once identified, these hazardous trees are tagged with a barcode, cataloged, and eventually removed to ensure a safe environment for the community to successfully rebuild.

While the debris removal program in Mariposa County is led by the county, Cal OES is still on-hand to guide and support the community through every step of the recovery process.

More information about the State’s Consolidated Debris Removal Program, including hazard tree removal, can be found here.
Source: Cal OES