After the Eaton fire ravaged Altadena, residents are worried about the fate of the town's trees during the debris removal process. Many fear healthy trees will be mistakenly removed, despite their importance to the environment and the town's identity. Locals are urging officials to use independent arborists to assess the trees before making any decisions.
Andrea Davis with trees that survived the Eaton fire that destroyed her home on Jaxine Drive in Altadena on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025.Just feet away from the rubble of her Altadena home, Andrea Davis noticed two 3-year-old coast live oak trees that appeared to have survived the Eaton fire’s wind-fueled fury.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has begun the estimated year-long process of debris removal in the burn area of both of the Palisades and Eaton fires. This phase follows the Altadena Town Councilmember Dorothy “Dot” Wong lost her home in the fire. She said people are not paying enough attention to the trees during this process, because of all the other concerns people have after losing everything.“We are embedded in the gift of being able to touch nature, which is innate in all of us.” Wong said. “In Altadena we have been lucky and privileged in that way to be able to walk out the door and see the glowing mountains, see the native plants and trees.
Native trees like the coast live oak, Latta said, have adaptations that make them fire resistant. These traits can be found in their bark that can withstand scorching, an internal system that can put out new leaves if some are burned and they hold a fair amount of moisture. According to the Public Works Department, the Army Corps’ consultant has been assessing private trees and marking those deemed hazardous.
Porter said several factors must be considered when assessing whether a tree can bounce back from damage.
Disaster Local News Eaton Fire Altadena Trees Debris Removal Arborists
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