Key takeaways
- Only return when the agency in charge says it is allowed, and follow closures and signs.
- Stay out of the area two tree heights around dead or damaged trees until they are assessed.
- Roots can burn out, leaving voids and unstable ground under and around a stump.
- Rain and wind raise the risk of a burned tree failing. Call an arborist and, if a line is involved, NV Energy.
Our region knows this scene. The mapped fires near Carson City, Reno and Tahoe include Waterfall (2004), Washoe Drive (2011) and Davis (2024). When you are allowed back, the fire may be out, but the trees are not done moving.
What is a hazard tree after a fire?
The Forest Service defines a hazard tree as one with a structural defect that makes it likely to fail in whole or in part. Fire adds new defects to the usual ones from age and disease. The agency says it is often hard to judge the long-term survival of scorched trees, since some will die and others recover, so you cannot tell by looking from the driveway.
That is why the safe rule is distance first and judgment second.
How far away should I stay?
The Forest Service says to assume that a dead or damaged tree could fall and affect an area up to two times its height, and to give yourself extra room. A 60-foot pine can reach 120 feet in the wrong direction. Think about where branches or the whole tree could land before you choose where to walk, park or stand.
The agency also advises extra caution after rain and in high winds. Fire-weakened trees can fail days or weeks after the flames are out.
What is dangerous under the ground?
Burned stumps may leave large holes, and the holes may be bigger than they look. The Forest Service says fire can burn through root chambers and consume the woody roots, leaving empty tunnels where solid wood used to be. The weight of a person or vehicle on a root chamber can make it collapse. Large trees have particularly big and deep root chambers.
Stay out of burned stump areas, and keep children and pets away. Do not dig around burned stumps by hand to check.
When do I call an arborist and who else?
The ISA recommends that trees with defects be examined by an ISA Certified Arborist, and for a burned yard that means before you rake, rebuild or sit under the canopy. If a tree is on a house, a car or a road, or a limb is hanging in a line, keep back. Call 911 if anyone is hurt, call NV Energy about any line, then call us on the 24-hour line at 775.232.8243. Our emergency tree service page explains what we do for storm and fire-damaged trees.
Our crew includes two ISA Certified Arborists, and a certified arborist assesses every job before work begins.
What comes after the hazard trees are down?
Hazard trees are only the first step. Slopes and burn scars bring runoff and erosion, and the Forest Service warns that plant roots that decompose stop holding soil. Read removing trees on slopes without starting erosion before you plan big removals on a hillside. For rebuilding your defensible space, see what is defensible space and lessons from local wildfires.
Sources
- USDA Forest Service: Burned Area, Travel and Recreating (fact sheet, April 2025) (read October 17, 2026)
- International Society of Arboriculture, Trees Are Good: Recognizing Tree Risk (brochure) (read October 17, 2026)