Thursday, May 29, 2014

Red Car Property: Dead & Dying Eucalyptus Trees Are A Fire Hazard

Photo: Diane Edwardson, May 27, 2014.  Three of the nine dead or dying Eucalyptus trees on the north end of the Red Car Property are in this shot.  These big trees are on Red Car Property APN # 5438-007-002 & directly adjacent to homes on Riverside Drive.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

The north end of the Red Car Property has lost a bunch of non-native Eucalyptus trees in the past few years.  
Photo: Diane Edwardson, May 27, 2014.  APN 5438-006-004.  Drought, insects, disease, old age, or a combination could be killing them throughout the neighborhood.  
Photo: Diane Edwardson, May 24, 2014.  Three smaller (25-30') Eucalyptus trees on the Red Car Property, closer to the Arco Station at Riverside & Fletcher, are also dead.  APN 5438-006-004. 
Photo: Diane Edwardson, May 24, 2014.  Another 60' Eucalyptus on 5438-007-002 is in a death spiral less than 50' downslope from a home on Adelbert where several large Eucalyptus trees died & had to be removed last fall.
Photo: Diane Edwardson, May 27, 2014.  Late last fall, most of the dead trees and debris were removed from Red Car Canyon, 5440-030-033,another Eucalyptus is dying in the canyon, halfway up the slope to a home on Corralitas Drive. 

Eucalyptus is an oily, highly combustible tree that burns hot and spreads fire quickly.  If you live adjacent to these trees, you should contact the LAFD Brush Unit, using the APN below each photo (heck send the photos too)  It's best to send a detailed email rather than call the Brush Unit - see instructions for filing a report on the LAFD Brush Clearance Unit website.

And be sure to get your own brush clearance done.  The LAFD Brush Unit has all of the information you need: www.lafd.org/brush.
Update, Photo: Diane Edwardson, May 29, 2014.  One more dead Eucalyptus in the wooded canyon area close to the power lines on the Lake View side APN 5440-030-033. (added 4:04PM).  This one looks like branches were trimmed, but the arrows are pointing to top & bottom.  It's about 60" tall and from another angle it is leaning toward the power lines.  It may not be in immediate danger of falling, but give it a good El Nino rain followed by a Santa Ana windstorm & it could spell danger for the neighborhood.