Tree removal in Mogul, NV

Mogul is a compact community of about 1,050 people beside the Truckee River between Reno and Verdi. About 92% of its homes are single-family houses and about 91% are owner-occupied. It was built in one generation, and it shows in the trees.

At a glance

• About 80% of Mogul homes built between 1980 and 1999
• Median home built in 1985
• 1996 Belli Ranch Fire mapped about 2 miles away
• About 52 minutes from our yard without traffic

What happens when a whole street's trees mature together?

The same problems show up house after house within a few years. Evergreens planted as a screen now block the sun. Shade trees set 10 feet from the eaves now reach across the roof. Roots that had the whole lawn are at the driveway. The American Community Survey puts Mogul's median home at 1985, with only about 13% built before 1980 and about 7% since 2000 (a small place, so the numbers are rough).

A 40-year-old tree is in its prime if it has room. Removal is for the ones that do not, or that are failing.

Should I remove it now or wait?

That is a fair question and an arborist should answer it on site. The tree gets bigger and the job with it. On the other hand, a healthy tree adds shade and value, and pruning may hold it at a workable size for years. Our certified arborist in Mogul page covers what a consultation includes. We will not tell you a tree is safe, and we will not tell you to remove one that does not need it.

Fire came close in 1996 and 2006

The 1996 Belli Ranch Fire, mapped at 6,724 acres, and the 2006 Verdi Fire, mapped at 5,662 acres, both have a mapped centre within about 3 miles of Mogul. The USDA Forest Service ranks Mogul's wildfire risk to homes higher than 95% of US communities. About 10% of buildings are in the direct exposure zone and about 90% in the indirect zone, which is ember country.

For embers, what counts is what is against the house. A dead tree, or an evergreen under the eaves, is the kind of removal that makes a difference.

Working in a built-out neighborhood

Mogul's lots are finished: fences, decks, sprinklers, neighbors on both sides. The crew lowers limbs on ropes, carries brush to the street and keeps the chipper at the curb. For a tree behind the house with no clear path out, the arborist will say whether the 75-foot boom truck can reach it from the front.

Weather notes

The Reno 3.4 WSW station, about 2.4 miles away, averages about 10.8 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991-2020 normals). After a strong wind, look for cracked forks and hanging limbs, and see warning signs before a tree fails.